Deadline for online registration for Northwest Regional Grappling Qualifier is Wednesday night
Jason Townsend USA Wrestling
07/14/2008

The Northwest Regional Grappling Qualifier will be held this weekend at Parkrose High School, 12003 NE Shaver St., Portland, OR 97220.

The deadline to Pre-register for these events is 10:00 PM CST on Wednesday July 16th. You can save $25 by pre-registering online at:

Northwest Regional Pre-Registration link:
http://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/registration/BasicPreReg1.jsp?tournamentGroupId=428009

For more event information visit:
Northwest Regional Grappling Qualifier Flier

This event is for Senior-level athletes and serves as a qualifier for the 2008 U.S. Grappling World Team Trials. In order to qualify, men must place in the top four in their weight class and women must place in the top three of their weight class. Returning 2007 U.S. World Team Trials champions automatically qualify for the 2008 U.S. World Team Trials.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 1:13 AM | Permalink

Top U.S. wrestlers set to take down competition at University Worlds July 9-13 in Greece
Elizabeth Wiley USA Wrestling
07/07/2008

The USA Wrestling University World Teams will travel to Thessoloniki, Greece for the University World Championships July 9-13.

Men’s freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle wrestling teams will all compete against some of the best in the world at the competition.

Jake Herbert is the only returning competitor on the men’s freestyle team. A bronze medalist at last year’s competition, Herbert will provide leadership and experience for the team as he competes at 84 kg/185 lbs.

“Herbert is a returning bronze medalist,� Freestyle Developmental Coach Dave Bennett said. “He knows what he needs to do. We’re expecting a good performance.�

Joining Herbert on the freestyle team are Brad Pataky at 55 kg/121 lbs., Reece Humphrey at 60 kg/132 lbs., Josh Churella at 66 kg/145.5 lbs, Keith Gavin at 74 kg/163 lbs., Brendan Jones at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Tervel Dlagnev at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. All six of these wrestlers are making their first trip to compete at University Worlds.

“My goal for this team is to come back with seven gold medals and I think it’s a goal for them, too,� said Bennett. “That may not happen, but we have to go in believing all things are possible.�

The men’s freestyle team will be coached by Lou Rosselli and Wes Hand. Dave Bennett is serving as team leader for the trip.

The Greco-Roman squad features two wrestlers who just missed out on berths to the 2008 Olympic Games, as well as a number of other talented athletes.

“(Sam) Hazewinkel competed at the Olympic Team Trials and was one match from making the Olympic Team,� Greco-Roman Developmental Coach Ike Anderson said. “I’m excited about him.�

Sam Hazewinkel lost to Spenser Mango in the Championship Series at 55 kg/121 lbs. while Cheney Haight finished behind T.C. Dantzler at 74 kg/163 lbs.

“I expect Cheney Haight to be able to medal,� said Anderson. “Again he was one match from making the Olympic Team against T.C.�

Another top contender for the Greco-Roman team is Chas Betts. Betts was a silver medalist at the 2006 University World Championships and hopes to medal again in 2008.

The rest of the team is Donovan Depatto at 60 kg/132 lbs., Jacob Curby at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., and Robbie Smith at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. The heavyweight contender has not yet been determined for the U.S.

Eric Wetzel and Gary Mayabb will coach the Greco-Roman team.

The women’s side features seven athletes that took part in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and should be incredibly competitive in Greece.

Three wrestlers on the team also competed at the 2006 World University Championships. Alaina Berube was a bronze medalist at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. two years ago. Joining her from that squad are Sara Fulp-Allen at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. and Othella Lucas at 59 kg/130 lbs.

Rounding out the women’s team are Katherine Fulp-Allen at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., Chelynne Pringle at 55 kg/121 lbs., Elena Pirozhkov at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., and Stephany Lee at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

Serving as coaches for the women’s freestyle team are Shannyn Gillespie and Trevor Keifer.

University World Championships
Thessoloniki, Greece

Men’s Freestyle:
55 kg: Brad Pataky, Clearfield, Pa. (New York AC)
60 kg: Reece Humphrey, Indianapolis, Ind. (Ohio State)
66 kg: Josh Churella, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC)
74 kg: Keith Gavin, Factoryville, Pa. (New York AC)
84 kg: Jake Herbert, Wexford, Pa. (New York AC)
96 kg: Brent Jones, Burke, Va. (Cavalier WC)
120 kg: Tervel Dlagnev, Arlington, Texas (Loper WC)

Coach: Lou Rosselli
Coach: Wes Hand
Team Leader: Dave Bennett

Greco-Roman:
55 kg: Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Gator WC)
60 kg: Donovan Depatto, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marine Corp)
66 kg: Jacob Curby, LaGrange, Ill. (USOEC/GatorWC)
74 kg: Cheney Haight, Orem, Utah (USOEC/New York AC)
84 kg: Chas Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (USOEC/Minnesota Storm)
96 kg: Robbie Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
120 kg: TBD

Coach: Eric Wetzel
Coach: Gary Mayabb

Women’s Freestyle:
48 kg: Sara Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
51 kg: Katherine Fulp-Allen, El Granada, Calif. (Menlo College)
55 kg: Chelynne Pringle, Hugo, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
59 kg: Othella Lucas, San Diego, Calif. (New York AC)
63 kg: Alaina Berube, River Falls, Wis. (New York AC)
67 kg: Elena Pirozhkov, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
72 kg: Stephany Lee, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)

Coach: Shannyn Gillespie
Coach: Trevor Keifer

Generally in exchanges like this the US Team brings along wrestling gear to give to other nations.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 6:01 PM | Permalink

A contingent of 12 athletes and coaches will represent Team USA Wrestling at the
women’s freestyle Cadet Pan American Championships July 11-13, 2008 in
San Salvador, El Salvador.

U.S. States Olympic Education Center (USOEC) assistant coach Tony
DeAnda will assist in leading the FILA Cadet Champions (ages 15-17) of
the 2008 Body Bar/FILA Cadet Nationals who qualified for this event.

The 2008 Cadet Pan American Championships women’s freestyle
qualification, repechage, and final rounds will be competed Saturday
July 12, 2008 in San Salvador, El Salvador.

USA Cadet Pan Am Championships Freestyle Wrestling Team

38 kg / 83.75 lbs – Kaci Fullinwinder
40 kg / 88 lbs. – Emily Webster of Texas
43 kg / 94.75 lbs. – Erin Golston of Illinois
46 kg / 101.25 lbs – Briana Sparks of Michigan
49 kg / 108 lbs. – Samantha Lopez of California
52 kg / 114.5 lbs – Jenna Burkert of New York
56 kg / 123.25 lbs. – Kat Perez of California
60 kg / 132.25 lbs. – Ashley Mathews of California
65 kg / 143.25 lbs. – Jennifer Spitza of Michigan
70 kg / 154.25 lbs. – Anneliese DeAragon of Idaho
Coaches Tony DeAnda, TBA

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 2:08 PM | Permalink

Fort Hays State University announced on Thursday, June 26, 2008, the hiring of Chas Thompson as Head Wrestling Coach. Thompson becomes the 13th coach in the wrestling program's history.

Thompson comes to Fort Hays State from Pratt Community College, where he served as head coach for two years from 2006-2008. In his time at PCC, Thompson led the Beavers to 10th and 21st place finishes at the NJCAA National Tournament and coached two NJCAA All-Americans. He also coached 11 Academic All-Americans. His 2006-07 team was ranked as high as 6th in the nation and his dash 2007-08 team was ranked as high as 10th in the nation.

Thompson is no stranger to the Fort Hays State program, where he served as an assistant coach for three years prior to becoming the head coach at Pratt Community College. Thompson was a graduate assistant coach for two years at FHSU from 2003-2005. He was a student assistant coach during the 2002-03 season. Thompson had the privilege of helping coach five NCAA Division II All-Americans as an assistant at FHSU.

Outside his collegiate coaching experience, Thompson has also served in several other coaching roles. He was a coach for the Cadet National Team in Fargo, N.D., the past three years and a coach for the Southern Plains Wrestling Team the past four years. Thompson also served as a summer wrestling coach from 1999-2008 in the Freestyle, Folkstyle, and Greco Roman disciplines.

Thompson wrestled for Fort Hays State University from 1999-2002. He was a national qualifier during his junior season (1999-2000) after winning his weight class at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Championships/NCAA Division II West Regional.

Prior to competing at FHSU, Thompson wrestled for two seasons at Labette Community College under his father Jody Thompson. His father is a member of the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame, NJCAA Coaches Hall of Fame, Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Hall of Fame, and National Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Thompson earned NJCAA All-American honors as a sophomore and was a two-time national qualifi er for LCC.

A native of Parsons, Kan., Thompson compiled a record of 133-14 in his prep career at Parsons High School. He was named the Kansas Class 4A Wrestler of the Year after winning the state championship as a senior. He was a four-time state placer at PHS.

Thompson earned a bachelor's degree in Physical Education from Fort Hays State in 2003, and is currently working towards completion of his master's degree in Sports Administration at FHSU.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 2:27 AM | Permalink

After so many years of chasing Rulon Gardner, Dremiel Byers learned what it was like to have Rulon Gardner chasing him.

Byers, a world-level wrestler for 10 years who was twice blocked from the Olympics by former gold medalist Gardner, won his way to the games by beating U.S. Army teammate Tim Taylor in the best-of-three U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman 264½-pound trials Sunday night.

Finally, a wrestler long accustomed to being No. 2 was No. 1, and Byers did it in a big way by catching Taylor with an underhook and dropping him for a 5-point move that decided the third and final match of their best-of-three series.

And guess who chased him across the mat for an interview once he was done? None other than Gardner, Byers' longtime rival and NBC's newest wrestling analyst.

"To come out and finish the way he did was the best thing he could have done," Gardner said. "That's going to give him a lot of confidence going into Beijing."

Think the 33-year-old Byers hasn't waited for this day since he first took up Greco-Roman wrestling a dozen years ago? Since he first won a national championship nine years ago, a remarkably long time for someone to wait to become an Olympian after proving he was good enough to be the best in the country?

"It's kind of poetic," said Byers, a 2002 world champion who choked back tears of pride and accomplishment. "I'm a romantic guy like that. There's a closeness there."

Byers feels the same way now about Taylor, a former Clearfield (Pa.) High wrestler who trains in Colorado Springs daily with Byers. The two go on hunting trips and attend parties together, and beating Taylor was as hard for Byers as beating Byers once was for Gardner.

"Other guys here are in clubs that live all over the country and come together for one event," Byers said. "In the Army, we're an actual team. We're in our (wrestling) room pounding it out every day."

Now, Byers likely will take Taylor with him to Beijing to help him prepare for the Olympics. Just as Gardner took him to the games to help Gardner prepare for winning his upset-of-a-lifetime gold medal in 2000 and bronze medal in 2004. And if Byers wants another training partner ...

"If he wants me to help him, I'm there," Gardner said.

Fittingly on a night that Gardner won, several other longtime No. 2s also came through to make the Olympic team.

At freestyle 185 pounds, Andy Hrovat beat three-time national champion Mo Lawal. In a surprise at Greco-Roman 211½ pounds, Adam Wheeler outlasted Justin Ruiz, who had won the past five national titles, three times beating Wheeler. At freestyle 264½ pounds, Steve Mocco -- the national runner-up the past five years and a three-time world team runner-up -- defeated top-seeded Tommy Rowlands, who was fifth in the world last year.

When Mocco won, family members -- including sister Katie, who competed in this weekend's judo trials -- hugged, screamed and cried upon realizing he wasn't second any longer.

"It's been a struggle, it's been a struggle for my family," said Mocco, also a two-time NCAA runner-up. "I've always come up a little bit short. But in a real tough weight class, I found a way to win."

There was one repeat Olympian on Sunday night, Daniel Cormier at freestyle 211½ pounds,

There was no doubt who is No. 1 at freestyle 163 pounds -- Ben Askren, the oh-so-confident former Missouri wrestler who needed only one year to transition from two-time NCAA champion to Olympian.

Former college stars such as the 23-year-old Askren often need a much longer indoctrination before excelling in freestyle, and Askren has adapted his style. But he hasn't eliminated the raised No. 1 fingers, the pumping fists, the crowd gestures, all of which stamp him as a nonconformist in an old, traditional sport.

"I just knew I was going to win. There was no doubt in my mind," Askren said.

That confidence, he said, comes from a relentless training regimen and an eagerness to outwork his opponents.

"I work harder than a lot of people. A lot of senior level (wrestlers) don't want to work. They don't want to be the best," Askren said.

He doesn't doubt he will win in Beijing, despite his lack of top-level international experience.

"I'm going to win a gold medal," Askren said.

The other Greco-Roman and freestyle Olympians were determined Saturday night, including 18-year-old Jake Deitchler, the first high schooler to make the U.S. team in 32 years.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 3:59 AM | Permalink

Cormier makes second Olympic Team, Byers gets his first chance with wins at U.S. Olympic Team Trials
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
06/15/2008

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) made his second straight Olympic team, defeating Damion Hahn (Ithaca, N.Y./New York AC) in two straight matches at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at the Thomas & Mack Center on Sunday.

Cormier placed fourth in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. He won a World bronze medal in 2007. It was his sixth straight year claiming the U.S. team spot at his weight class.

“I’m just going to train hard. It’s my second Olympic Games. I don’t want to feel like I did coming back from Athens in 2004. Losing two overtime matches in the semis and then losing the bronze medal match. I don’t want to feel that way. I’m doing everything possible to make sure I’m prepared and ready to go when I get to China. If I do that I think I’ll be okay,� said Cormier.

Cormier is the only member of the men’s freestyle Olympic Team who has competed in a previous Olympic Games. On Friday, Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) made his second Olympic team in Greco-Roman with a victory at 84 kg/185 lbs.

In bout number one, the first period, trailing 1-0, Cormier scored six points with a takedown and two tilts to win, 6-1. In the second period, Cormier again opened up his offense, turning Hahn to get a 6-0 technical fall.

In bout two, scored a point in each period, on a stepout in the first period and a spin behind in the second period, for a 1-1 victory and his second Olympic berth.

“I’m confident. I’m getting to the point where I am confident in my abilities and I figure if I go out and wrestle like I’m capable, I’m going to be okay. That’s pretty much what’s been happening. These guys are tough competitors. I’ve been lucky enough, blessed to stay healthy and believe in myself. It’s been leading to victories,� said Cormier.

2002 World champion Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./US Army) made his first Olympic Team, but needed three matches to get by U.S. Army teammate Timothy Taylor at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Byers won the first match, 1-1, 4-0, but fell in the second bout, 2-5, 2-1, 1-1. In the deciding third match, Byers dominated the first period, 4-0. In the second period, Byers hit a five-point high amplitude throw to immediately finish the match.

Byers talked about the challenge of facing his friend and teammate in the Championship Series with an Olympic berth at stake.

“That’s my brother from another mother. We live that everyday with our unit. We really are family. If you look around at Nationals or you look into it, we’re the only actual team. The other guys are clubs that live all over the country and come together for one event. We’re in there pounding it out everyday with each other,� said Byers.

Byers placed second at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials to archrival and friend Rulon Gardner, who won an Olympic gold in 2000 and Olympic bronze in 2004. Byers served as Gardner’s training partner at the 2004 Olympic Games.

Gardner was in attendance, serving as the color analyst for the MSNBC coverage of the Olympic Trials. Gardner hugged Byers on center mat, and conducted the television interview with him at the conclusion of the victory.

2008 U.S. Nationals champion Ben Askren (Columbia, Mo./Sunkist Kids) defeated Tyrone Lewis (Stillwater, Okla., Gator WC) in two straight matches. It was a rematch of this year’s nationals finals, also won by Askren.

A popular two-time NCAA champion for Missouri, Askren made his first World-level team in his first full season concentrating only on freestyle.

In the first match, Askren scored a leg attack takedown in each period for a 1-1, 1-1 victory.

The second match started strong for Lewis, who was trailing by a point before throwing Askren for three points with a body lock for a 6-3 win. In the second period, Askren scored twice to win 2-0. The deciding third period went to Askren, who scored a takedown on the edge early in the period and held on for the victory.

“Number one, I work harder than a lot of people. A lot of the senior level athletes don’t want to work hard, they want to do that. Number two, I leave my mind open, I’m looking for everybody. I’m watching the Russians, I’m watching the World Champs, I’m watching them and I’m picking everything up.�

Four of the series went the full three matches, adding great drama to the final night of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials event.

At 84 kg/185 lbs., 2006 U.S. World Team member Andy Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) defeated 2005 U.S. World Team member Mo Lawal, (Temecula, Calif./Sunkist Kids) in three bouts.

Lawal won the first match, 1-1, 1-0. In the first period, after Hrovat scored on a stepout, Lawal hit a takedown with just five seconds left to win the period by scoring the last point. In the second period, he scored the only takedown of the period.

In the second match, Lawal scored the only takedown of the first period to take it 1-0. In the second period, there were no takedowns and Lawal won the coin toss. Hrovat scored a two-point counter chestlock to win period two, 2-0. With time running out in the third period, Lawal shot a double on Hrovat on the edge, but Hrovat hit another three-point chestlock to take the period 3-0 and tie up the series.

In the deciding third match, Lawal won the first period with a takedown, 1-0. The second period was scoreless, and Hrovat won the toss, scoring a takedown from the clinch, 1-0. The third and deciding period, Lawal scored a takedown out of bounds with 43 seconds left. Hrovat scored two points with seven seconds left, getting an exposure on a scramble. Although Lawal scored a takedown with two seconds left to tie the match at 2-2, Hrovat earned the spot by scoring the highest point move of the period.

Lawal had defeated Hrovat in the finals of the U.S. Nationals in 2008. Hrovat defeated Lawal at the World Team Trials in 2006 on the way to his first World Championships appearance.

At 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in freestyle, Steve Mocco (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) by defeating 2007 World Team member Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/New York AC) in three bouts.

Mocco won the first match in two straight periods, 1-0, 1-0. In the first period, Mocco scored a takedown from the clinch. In the second period, Rowlands stepped out of bounds, giving Mocco the only point of the period.

Rowlands won the second match in two periods. He scored a three-point takedown from the clinch in the first period for a 3-0 score, then got the only point in the second period on when Mocco went out of bounds on a scramble.

The deciding third match was all Mocco, who scored a pushout to win the first period, 1-0, then two takedowns in the second period to score the victory and a spot on the U.S. World Team.

In Greco-Roman, there was an upset at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. when Adam Wheeler (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) defeated 2005 World bronze medalist Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) in three matches.

Ruiz had advanced directly to the Championship Series finals after winning U.S. Nationals and having placed in the top five of the World during the last three years. Ruiz has competed on four U.S. World Teams, while Wheeler made his first U.S. team.

Wheeler won the first period, 2-2, turning Ruiz for exposure in the final par terre segment. In the second period, Ruiz won 1-1 by scoring the last point by defending from par terre. The last period went to Wheeler by a 1-1 score, as he received the final point defending from par terre.

In the second match, Ruiz got his offense going, hitting a gutwrench in the first period, and scoring on a two-point penalty and a reversal in the second period to win the match, 3-0, 4-0.

In the third and final match went without a point scored on the feet. Ruiz won the first period, 1-1, by scoring the last point from the defensive position in par terre. Wheeler won the second period, 1-1, scoring the last point on defense. In the third and final period, Ruiz lost the flip and defended first, but Wheeler was able to score a point when Ruiz stepped out of bounds. In the last 30-second par terre position, Ruiz was unable to turn Wheeler, almost getting a lift but running out of time, giving the period to Wheeler.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 4:26 PM | Permalink

John Smith

Aleks Emelianenko

James Thompson

Dustin Schlatter

Cael Sanderson

Dan Gable

Tom Brands

Jayson Ness

Charlie Falck

David Taylor

Zack Esposito

Buvaisar Saitiev

Saitiev

murtazaliev

Adam Saitiev

Ketoev

Gatsalov

Muradov

flowrestling

Mike Zadick

Brent Metcalf

Bubba Jenkins

Eric Tannenbaum

Saytiev

Mike Houck

Dennis Hall

Steve Fraser

Joe Warren

Kudukhov

Farniev

Kimbo Slice

Brett Rogers

Frank Shamrock

College Football

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 4:05 AM | Permalink

Olympic gold medalist Bobby Weaver, former world champion Mike Houck and three-time NCAA champions Ricky Bonomo and Wayne Martin were inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Weaver won the gold medal in the light-flyweight class at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, when the U.S. had seven freestyle champions. The Pennsylvania native who wrestled at Lehigh finished third in the 1982 NCAA championships and also won a silver medal at the 1979 world championships.

Houck won the United States' first Greco-Roman world championship in 1985 and later served as coach of the U.S. Olympic team that won two medals at the 1992 Barcelona Games. The Minnesota native also won two Christian College national titles wrestling at Maranatha Baptist Bible College.

Bonomo won national championships at 118 pounds from 1985-87 for Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania.

Martin, who was honored posthumously, was the first person to win NCAA wrestling titles at three different weight classes. He was the 134-pound champion in 1934, the 145-pound champion in 1935 and the 135-pound champion in 1936 at Oklahoma.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 2:20 PM | Permalink

TheWrestlingTalk released major update to its community about 2 weeks ago. I waited to detail the update until most of the finishing touches were completed. Check out how TWT is revolutionizing how wrestlers communicate:

Personal Profiles: (Here's Mine) This isn't just a wrestler's Facebook/MySpace. Complete your recruiting profile and get noticed by college coaches, add your highlight video from TWT Videos. If you put yourself on YouTube, you can add those videos to your profile as well.

Social Groups / Free Team Sites: Create your own team site with a forum, ability to add photos, videos, and more. Use the social groups feature to promote a cause (Save X's Wrestling Team, Donate to X's recovery fund) or connect with people who have a niche interest you share.

Free Wrestling Blog: Keep track of your daily workout regimen or keep your fan base up to date on your latest wrestling tournament.

Photo Albums: Wrestling is not your only interest, show off what else you enjoy. An excellent way to get to know your forum mates!

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 7:59 PM | Permalink

SESSION TWO - Thursday, March 20 at 6:30 p.m.

POST THREE: 149 pounds is loaded with Big Ten stars

The championship bracket at 149 pounds during the second session was loaded with Big Ten athletes.

The first match was No. 1 Brent Metcalf of Iowa vs. Kurt Kinser of Indiana. The second match was No. 9 Lance Palmer of Ohio State vs. No. 8 Jake Patacsil of Purdue. The third match featured No. 5 Josh Churella of Michigan.

The bottom bracket also had three Big Ten wrestlers, including a pairing of No. 6 Bubba Jenkins of Penn State against No. 11 Ryan Lang of Northwestern. The other Big Ten wrestler in the bottom bracket is No. 2 Dustin Schlatter of Ohio State.

After the second round, five of the Big Tenners advanced to the quarterfinals. The only losses came in the head-to-head conference battles where Metcalf beat Kinser, 10-5, Palmer beat Patacsil, 14-6 and Jenkins edged Lang, 4-3. Also winning were Churella and Schlatter.

There will only be one Big Ten showdown in Friday’s quarterfinals, when Metcalf battles Palmer.

By the way, the standings at the Big Ten went like this: 1 – Metcalf, 2 – Schlatter, 3- Churella, 4- Patacsil, 5- Jenkins, 6- Palmer, 7 – Lang, 8- Kinser.

POST TWO: From 10 qualifiers to one, the first session results

Two teams qualified a full team of 10 athletes this year at the NCAA Championships, Big 12 champion Iowa State and EWL champion Edinboro.

A total of 10 teams bring just one wrestler: Boston Univ., Clarion, Delaware State, Duquesne, Eastern Michigan, Michigan State, Millersville, Ohio, VMI and Virginia Tech.

Of the one-person teams, Michigan State has the best possibility for making an impact, as Big Ten champion Franklin Gomez is the top seed at 133 pounds.

Iowa State moved nine of their 10 through the first round. Winners were No. 5 Nick Fanthorpe (133), No. 9 Nick Gallick (141), Mitch Mueller (149), No. 7 Cyler Sanderson (157), No. 6 Jonathan Reader, Aron Scott (174), No. 1 Jake Varner (184), David Bertolino (197) and No. 7 David Zabriskie (HWT). Mueller won two bouts in the session, giving Iowa State 10 wins for the morning. This put the Cyclones in third place with 16 team points.

Edinboro did not fare as well. The Scots lost its first three weight classes, then Daryl Cocozzo (149), No. 1 Gregor Gillespie (157), No. 12 Jarod King (165) and Joe Fendone (HWT) ended up with wins. Edinboro stood in 21st place with 7.5 points.

The first round saw a match between the two 10-athlete teams, as unseeded David Bertolino of Iowa State beat unseeded Patrick Bradshaw of Edinboro at 197 pounds by major decision, 10-0.

Of the schools with one qualifier, only two wrestlers won a bout. Winners included Gomez, who scored 12-3 major decision over Josh Baldridge of UNI, plus Josh Wine of VMI at heavyweight.

POST ONE: Brother acts have mixed results during the first session

There are five sets of brothers who are wrestling in the 2008 NCAA Championships. All of the brother pairs compete for the same college team. They are:
• Headlee brothers of Pitt: Drew (141) and Ethan (165)
• Gillespie brothers of Edinboro: Torsten (141) and No. 1 Gregor (157)
• Schlatter brothers of Minnesota: No. 2 Dustin (149) and No. 5 C.P. (157)
• Sinnott brothers of Central Michigan: No. 5 Brandon (174) and No. 4 Christian (184)
• Smith brothers of Boise State: No. 10 Kirk (184) and Nick (285)

Of the brother acts, the Schlatters and the Sinnotts both won their first matches. All three of the other brother combinations had one win, including Drew Headlee, Gregor Gillespie and Kirk White.

Stay tuned to see if either the Schlatters or the Sinnotts can both qualify for the finals.

SESSION ONE - Thursday, March 20, 11:00 a.m.

POST FIVE: A few more things from Session One
Minnesota had a great early start, winning their first two matches by pin with No. 2 Jason Ness at 125 pounds (1:17 over Marcus Orozco of UC Davis) and No. 8 Mac Reiter at 133 pounds (2:13 over Jeff Schell of Brown) and a technical fall by Manuel Rivera at 141 pounds (16-0 over Torsten Gillespie of Edinboro). The Gopher momentum was halted at 174 pounds, when No. 8 Gabe Dretsch lost to Nathan Lee of Boise State.

Defending NCAA champion Gregor Gillespie of Edinboro brought a new look with him to the NCAA Tournament this year. He cut his hair into little clumps, dying them to make him look like a leopard. Earlier this season, Gillespie had a Mohawk cut. He opened the tournament with 17-0 techical fall over Spencer Manley of Navy.

There are five undefeated wrestlers going into the tournament and all of them opened up with victories. After their first round wins, the records of the perfect wrestlers are: Chad Mendes of Cal Poly at 125 (27-0), Keith Gavin of Pitt at 174 (26-0), Jake Varner of Iowa State at 184 (25-0) and Josh Glenn of American (16-0). Of the unbeatens, Glenn is the only returning national champion, and has the longest winning streak in the tournament with 39 in a row going back to last year.

Getting a good first match is a key for these athletes to keeping their streak alive.

# “I pushed through the Pac-10 and had a hard push until this week in practice. I feel like I am peaking,� said Mendes.
# “It was a good first match; I scored a lot of points. It was a good warmup. It’s good to get this out of the way,� said Gavin.
# “It is good to be back here. I have been looking forward to this all year,� said Glenn.

POST FOUR: More notes as the tournament winds on
The Univ. of Oregon, which plans to drop its wrestling program after this tournament, has two entries in the tournament this weekend. Wrestling leaders among the alumni and fans in the state are waging an active war to try to convince the administration there to reverse the decision and retain the program. The Ducks won their first match of the day when Ryan Dunn captured his bout at 133 pounds against William Ashnault of Lock Haven. Dunn was second at the Pac-10 Championships and entered the tournament with a 23-7 record.

In a battle of All-Americans at 157 pounds, No. 8 Jordan Leen of Cornell defeated unseeded Ryan Hlusack of Drexel, 4-3 at 157 pounds. Both wrestlers entered the tournament with a drop in ranking based upon the conference tournaments. Leen was upset in the finals at the EIWA Championships and Hluschak lost in the finals of the Colonial Athletic Association.

No. 6 Lou Ruggerello of Hofstra won a match which went three overtimes, defeating Univ. of Tennessee-Chattanooga’s Stephen Hromada, 3-2. Chattanooga protested the decision, but it was denied.

POST THREE: Some interesting stuff at the lower weights

There was a wild match in the first round at 125 pounds, when No. 7 Michael Sees of Bloomsburg racked up the points in a 21-10 win over Collin Cudd of Wisconsin to open the tournament.

There were a few upsets, even if considered mild, at 133 pounds in the first round.

Mark McKnight of Penn State stopped No. 12 Tyler Shinn of Oklahoma State, 5-1 in the first round, a match that caught the fan’s attention. McKnight had Shinn on his back in danger early in the match, and kept on the pressure.

No 9 seed Zach Tanelli of Wisconsin also took a first-round loss, dropping a 7-5 decision to Conor Beebe of Central Michigan. Beebe took him down in the last seconds for the victory.

At 141 pounds, Bailey of Oklahoma upset No. 8 Dan LeClair of Iowa, 8-7. As often happens, when a wrestler from a major program like Iowa or Oklahoma State goes down, the crowd makes a big deal of things.

POST 2 of 10: Inspiring Robles wins Bout One of the tournament

Bout one of the NCAA Tournament included freshman Anthony Robles of Arizona State, the athlete with one leg who received tremendous national coverage after winning a national high school folkstyle title. Robles, who had a top 20 national ranking at 125 pounds earlier this year, qualified by placing second in the Pac-10 with a 19-7 record. He drew Brandon Kinney of Columbia in the pig-tail round, bout one on mat one.

Robles, who starts down on one knee on the whistle, took down Kinney on a low leg shot, and turned him twice with three-point tilts for a quick 8-0 lead. Kinney got an escape late in the first period. The second period saw some position changes with reversals and takedown, but Robles held the edge on the mat. The match ended 11-5 with 2:57 of riding time, it ended 12-5. Robles has a much bigger upper body than his opponent and was very strong in the top position.

His reward for winning that first match is a first round bout with No. 1 Angel Escobedo of Indiana.

The first pin of the session came on mat four in the pigtails, when No. 6 Lou Ruggirello of Hofstra put away Cory Vombaur of Wyoming quickly at 133 pounds.

POST 1 of 10: Travel problems plague attendees at NCAA Championships

As often happens at the NCAA Championships, one of the hardest things to do is get all the athletes, coaches, officials and fans to one location. Weather in March can still be pretty harsh, and travel often includes delayed and cancelled flights. This year, the problem in parts of the Southern Plains has been rain and floods.

I (Gary Abbott) ran into some of this on Tuesday, flying from Oklahoma to Missouri. Rain was everywhere in the region, with problems specifically in Dallas, where hundreds of flights were cancelled and the airport closed at times. American Airlines had a system-wide computer problem, which affected Oklahoma City. We arrived a few hours late, but my bag took more than two days to finally get to the hotel this morning.

Leah Howard, SID for Michigan, told of the journey of the Wolverine team, which ran into delays and then a cancelled flight in Chicago. Michigan, which has six entries and some of the top favorites, had to secure a bus to drive down to St. Louis that night.

Ron Good of Amateur Wrestling News tells of his drive through Missouri where many roads were severely flooded. Because he was in a mobile home, police let the AWN group through an especially bad stretch of flooded roads because of the size of their vehicle. Passenger cars were not allowed to pass. Good explains that about an hour after they passed that hazard, the road was closed.

Fans from the east, especially for teams such as Penn and Drexel, were stranded for most of Wednesday in the airport in Philadelphia, many arriving in the wee-hours of the night last evening. In spite of the delays, most have arrived in time for the 11:00 a.m. start on Thursday morning.

PS - The new NCAA Blogging policy allows 10 posts in each session. We will update this as much as time allows each session, up to the 10 permitted. Please revisit and refresh only

TheMat.com will update its blog each session of the NCAA Championships this year, as permitted by the new NCAA Blogging Policy. Please check regularly each session for updates from the mats in St. Louis

Where is the Minnesota talk?

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 2:42 AM | Permalink

Gregor Gillespie ready to make run at becoming Edinboro's first two-time NCAA champion
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling

Watch the Finals Match from 2007 verses Josh Churella

Gregor Gillespie was back home in New York on a hot summer night, grilling out with his family when the phone rang.

The person on the other end tried to disguise his voice, but Gillespie knew exactly who was calling.

It was Edinboro coach Tim Flynn.

“Coach Flynn calls me the summer after my freshman year and says, ‘This is Dustin Schlatter, I just did 300 sit-ups. Can I get my second gold medal now?’� Gillespie says with a laugh. “He wasn’t trying to knock Schlatter, he was just trying to motivate me to work hard and get me to believe I could beat him. Flynn kept telling me every day I was going to be the guy who was going to be on the top of the podium.�

Flynn’s frequent summer calls and his daily assurances to Gillespie that he was good enough to win a national title became reality late last March in Auburn Hills, Mich. That’s when Gillespie stunned many wrestling observers by winning the NCAA title at 149 pounds.

Seventh at the NCAAs as a true freshman at 149 pounds, Gillespie knocked off Schlatter 3-2 in the semifinals and halted the Minnesota wrestler's 65-match winning streak. Schlatter won the NCAA title as a true freshman in 2006.

The fifth-seeded Gillespie followed by beating No. 3 seed Josh Churella of Michigan 3-1 in overtime in the finals.

Now a junior, the 21-year-old Gillespie has bumped up to 157 pounds and has his sights set on becoming Edinboro’s first two-time NCAA champion. Gillespie is 29-2 this year and ranked No. 1 by InterMat.

“It has made a world of difference for me,� Gillespie said of the move up to 157. “Life’s a lot easier now. I am eating more and eating better, I have more energy in practice, I can lift more and my schoolwork is a lot better this year. It was a tough cut to 149.�

His losses this season came to All-Americans Mike Poeta of Illinois and C.P. Schlatter of Minnesota. Poeta and Schlatter, Dustin’s older brother, also have been ranked No. 1 this season.

“I learned a lot from wrestling those guys,� said Gillespie, who is 103-8 in his career. “It was huge for me to see them during the season. I don’t want to face that caliber of wrestler for the first time at nationals. I watched film of those matches and I know there are some areas I can improve on against those guys.�

Gillespie, from Webster, N.Y., was not heavily recruited despite winning a pair of New York state high school titles. He placed third at Senior High School Nationals after falling to Brent Metcalf in the semifinals. Metcalf, now at Iowa and ranked No. 1 at 149 this year, then lost to Dustin Schlatter in the finals.

Edinboro has provided the perfect fit for Gillespie.

“I didn’t really have a lot of schools chasing me,� he said. “Buffalo, UNC-Greensboro, Bloomsburg, they were recruiting me. I had a great time on my visit to Edinboro and I loved the coaching staff. It’s only three hours from home. I can go home and my parents can come watch me wrestle.�

Gillespie, an explosive and physical wrestler, burst onto the college scene quickly. He knocked off a returning starter to win the 149 starting spot for Edinboro as a true freshman.

“We had another pretty good kid at 149 and we figured we would redshirt Gregor if those two were pretty even,� Flynn said. “Gregor was good in practice. But after he beat a pretty good kid 8-0 in the wrestle-off, I was like, ‘Wow, he’s really impressive.’ Lou Rosselli, my assistant at the time, and I looked at each after the match and almost said at the same time, ‘He’s wrestling, we need him.’ You never know how kids are going to transition from high school to college. He jumped in right away and started dominating.�

Gillespie won his first 23 college matches en route to a 40-4 freshman season that culminated with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City.

Gillespie entered the 2007 NCAAs as the No. 5 seed with a 30-2 record. After downing No. 4 seed Jordan Leen of Cornell 6-2 in the quarterfinals, he received his shot at the top-seeded Dustin Schlatter.

“Schlatter had been winning a lot of close matches and wasn’t scoring as many points as he did his freshman year,� Gillespie said. “I felt like if I put together a full seven-minute match I could beat him. I knew if I went after him in the first period and scored offensively I could win the match.�

A first-period takedown by Gillespie proved to be the difference in the one-point match.

“I shot in on a single and he pulled his knee back,� Gillespie said. “I kept a hold of his leg and turned it into a double and got the takedown.�

Flynn said Gillespie had the perfect mindset for the match.

“When you’re a returning national champion and you’ve won 65 straight matches, you obviously have a certain air of invincibility going and Schlatter did,� Flynn said. “The biggest key for Gregor was just believing he could beat a guy like Schlatter. He really believed he could prove everybody wrong and beat him.�

Gillespie had little time to celebrate his big Friday night win over Schlatter. He had to come back strong the next night to beat Churella in front of his home fans in Michigan.

“I was ecstatic the rest of the night after I beat Schlatter, but by the next morning all my focus was on Churella,� Gillespie said. “I didn’t want my claim to fame to be beating Schlatter, I wanted it to be winning the NCAA title.�

Flynn said Gillespie wrestles the way you are supposed to.

“He’s a pleasure to watch,� Flynn said. “He wrestles hard. He’s fast and he can score a lot of points. The fans like watching him compete.�

Gillespie is a unique talent on the mat with a unique personality off it. His name also is unique.

His parents, Susan and Brad, chose to name him Gregor because his mother is 100 percent German. His brother, Torsten, Edinboro’s starting 141-pounder, also has a German name.

Gillespie also is constantly changing his appearance.

He has four tattoos. He has a cross tattooed on his upper left arm and a Superman tattoo on his right arm. After he won his first state title, he had a big American flag with “New York State Champ� tattooed on his left thigh. He also has a pair of praying hands on the inside of his biceps.

“The tattoos are just kind of an expression of my personality and who I am,� he said.

Gillespie said he spent about a month of this season sporting a bleached-blonde Mohawk.

“We’re kind of a goofy team,� Gillespie said. “We’re serious about wrestling, but we like to have a little fun too. Edinboro is a small town, so we have to find a way to have some fun. Coach Flynn and some of the guys on the team didn’t believe me when I said I was going to get a Mohawk, so I did it. My girlfriend is a hairdresser and she gave me one.�

Flynn said Gillespie definitely keeps things interesting.

“He’s quite the character, but above all he’s just a very nice kid,� Flynn said. “He’s real happy-go-lucky and good to be around. He’s also taken on a leadership role on our team.�

Gillespie often can be found with his headphones on before a big match, listening to a variety of music. His music of choice is Country. A big fan of Toby Keith and Kenny Chesney, Gillespie traveled to Las Vegas to see Tim McGraw in concert at the MGM Grand.

“I don’t really listen to music to pump me up,� he said. “It’s more just to help me relax and to keep me from getting too distracted.�

Gillespie is focused on repeating his magical feat from 2007 when he competes at the 2008 NCAA Championships on March 20-22 in St. Louis.

“I’m going to follow the same routine I did last year at nationals,� Gillespie said. “I’m going to do exactly what I did as far as training, eating, getting rest and preparing for the tournament. I’m going to do all the right things. And I’m going to put faith in Tim Flynn’s coaching system and do what he tells me to do. He got me to believe I could beat Dustin Schlatter and now he has me believing I can reach the top of the podium again.�

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 12:45 AM | Permalink

Getting cut from the seventh grade boys’ basketball team was probably the best thing that could have ever happened to Stanford University wrestler Tanner Gardner.

Growing up in Berryton, Kan., the young Gardner dreamed of playing basketball like most of his schoolmates, but because of his smaller size, junior high coaches did not really see him excelling on the hardwood.

“It turns out that guys that are 5’1� when they are in seventh grade can’t really play basketball,� said Gardner. “When I got cut from the seventh grade basketball team, the wrestling coach was there and asked me to come out for the team. My older brother had wrestled, so I figured I may as well try it.�

The mat turned out to be a pretty comfortable place for Gardner. He eventually became a two-time Kansas state high school champion, going undefeated with an 80-0 record in his last two seasons, and winning the 2002 Greco-Roman Junior National Championship.

Gardner then arrived at Stanford where he has become one of the best wrestlers in Cardinal history. The senior 125-pounder is a two-time All-American, and is currently ranked sixth in his weight class with a 28-1 record this season. With 15 pins on the year, he needs just three to tie the Stanford single-season record, and is only eight wins shy of the school’s all-time win mark.

Not only does he excel in his sport, but Gardner is also an Academic All-American. He already has a Bachelor’s degree in public policy, will finish his Master’s in Sociology at the end of the year with nearly a 4.0 grade point average, and has got a management consulting job lined up in Dallas following graduation.

“I am a very competitive person in general and that really drives me to be the best in everything I do,� said Gardner. “It can be bad sometimes, but it works out pretty well because wrestling has really taught me a good work ethic and what it takes to succeed in every part of life. They always say wrestling is training for the rest of your life. It’s kind of a cliché statement, but I really feel that way. NCAA Wrestling has taught me a lot of disciplines that I’ll use for the rest of my life.�

Gardner also branches out beyond the wrestling room and classroom, and is active around campus in student organizations like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

“I like spending time with people – relationships are a big part of my life,� said Gardner. “I’m involved with a lot of Christian groups at Stanford, and I have a really big community with that. I think investing in other people’s lives is something that is really important to me.�

Gardner’s belief in his own abilities is unwavering, and it is a philosophy the tri-captain shares with his Cardinal teammates.

“Wrestling is a very mental sport,� said Gardner. “I tell a lot of the young guys that I think they are some of the best guys here and they can beat anyone – they just need to believe they can beat them. I might not be the best guy in the country, but I think I’m the best, and that’s really all that matters when it comes down to it. If you believe that you can do it, you can do it.�

Stanford is having one of its’ best dual seasons in program history with an 8-2 record, fresh off a 22-16 victory against Pac-10 foe Cal State Bakersfield on Jan. 24.

“It’s been exciting seeing the progression of the younger guys and seeing the team come together,� said Gardner. “I think we have a lot of potential, so that’s a really positive part of it. I’d really like to see our team be successful and win a Pac-10 championship and qualify a lot of guys for nationals and have a lot of All-Americans. One of my big goals here was to elevate the Stanford wrestling program to another level.�

Ultimately, Gardner wants to improve on his own finishes at NCAA Wrestling Championships to conclude an outstanding career, but he knows it will not be an easy road.

“When you’re a returning All-American or highly-ranked, you have a target on your back, so you know you’re going to get everybody’s best match when they wrestle you. For me, it’s a mental advantage, because I feel like I’m better than everyone I wrestle, and whether that is true or not, I don’t think it really matters as long as I think I’m better. By going in with that attitude that everyone is going to give me their best match, I’m going to wrestle every match like it’s the NCAA Championship.�

Stanford continues its dual season with matches against Menlo and Pac-10 opponent Portland State on Jan. 25.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 1:22 AM | Permalink

Iowa State standout Jake Varner following in Sanderson's footsteps
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
12/25/2007

Jake Varner was a freshman in high school when he read about four-time NCAA champion Cael Sanderson in Sports Illustrated.

When Varner traveled to New York City with his high school team a year later to watch the World Championships, he saw Sanderson capture a silver medal.

Varner loved the way Sanderson wrestled and marveled at how humble an elite athlete of his caliber was.

Like Sanderson, Varner was heavily recruited coming out of high school. The Bakersfield, Calif., native was leaning toward joining high-school teammate Nathan Morgan at Oklahoma State. That’s where he thought he was headed after making his recruiting visit to Stillwater, Okla. Varner had visits lined up to Iowa State and Iowa the following two weekends, but planned on canceling them.

“I was ready to commit after my visit to Oklahoma State,� Varner said. “But my dad said, ‘You need to talk to Cael first.’ �

Talking to Cael, and everyone else involved with the Iowa State program, changed everything for Varner. Sitting next to his parents on the flight home to California, Varner turned to his father and said he was going to become a Cyclone. Sanderson, who had just won an Olympic gold medal, was a big reason why.

“Meeting Cael was really awesome – he made a huge impression on me,� said Varner, a two-time California state champion. “Plus I felt like I really fit in with the guys at Iowa State. Right then, I knew that was where I needed to go to achieve my goals.�

Coming to Iowa State already has paid huge dividends for Varner, who placed second at the 2007 NCAA Championships as a freshman. The ISU sophomore is unbeaten and ranked No. 1 nationally at 184 pounds this season.

Sanderson was an assistant coach to Bobby Douglas at Iowa State when Varner chose ISU. Sanderson then became the Cyclone head coach following Varner’s redshirt season in Ames.

“I work out with Cael as much as I can,� Varner said. “He’s helped me so much with everything – on my feet, down on the mat. He’s a great coach and he’s so knowledgeable. I have improved so much since I came here. Cael’s had a huge impact on me. He’s been the best wrestler in the World – he obviously knows what he is talking about.�

Varner entered the 2007 NCAA Championships in Auburn Hills, Mich., as the No. 6 seed at 184 after placing second at the Big 12 tournament.

But Varner, who entered the tournament with seven losses, knocked off No. 2 seed and returning NCAA runner-up Roger Kish of Minnesota in the semifinals. Varner won 4-2 in overtime. Kish had defeated Varner twice during the season.

“I just had it in my head that there was no way I was going to lose to Kish again,� Varner said. “I didn’t really change my game plan a whole lot. I just had the mindset that, ‘There is no way I am going to lose this match.’ �

Varner fell to No. 1 seed Jake Herbert of Northwestern in the NCAA finals. Varner helped lead ISU to a second-place finish in the team race and became the first Cyclone freshman since Sanderson in 1999 to reach the NCAA finals.

“Jake did an incredible job at NCAAs and executed what he had been working on,� Sanderson said. “He wasn’t worried about being a freshman. He went out there to compete and went out there to win. Every time he steps on the mat he expects to win.�

Varner already owns a pair of wins over the No. 2 Kish this season. He beat Kish in the all-star dual and in a dual meet at Minnesota.

“That was great for Jake,� Sanderson said. “Anytime you wrestle top competition you get better. I know he was real excited for that opportunity.�

Varner’s second win over Kish this season led ISU to a dual win over then-No. 1 Minnesota. The Gophers are the returning NCAA tournament champions.

The Cyclones followed by dropping a home dual to Iowa, despite a win by Varner. Iowa is now ranked No. 1 in a season where parity has been a recurring theme.

“We’ve put that loss to Iowa behind us already,� Varner said. “We’ve changed some things and improved since then. We’re constantly working to get better. We hate losing to them, but we’re looking at the big picture at NCAAs.�

The 6-foot-1 Varner, a tough, physical, hard-nosed wrestler, is difficult to score on. Putting more points on the board has been an area of emphasis for Varner.

“Jake’s been working real hard on his offense,� Sanderson said. “He has some great shots and you will see more leg attacks from him.�

Similar to Sanderson during his college days, Varner leads largely by example.

“I would say I’m shy and I’m quiet for the most part,� Varner said. “Once you get to know me, I will open up and talk a little bit more. But I’m pretty laid back for the most part.�

Varner said he patterns much of the way he carries himself after Sanderson.

“I love how humble Cael is,� Varner said. “If anyone comes up to him, he will always sign an autograph for them. He never talks about his wins or all that he’s accomplished in his career. You don’t have to be cocky about what you do. I’m pretty much the same way. I don’t like to talk about what I’ve accomplished.�

Varner is part of a star-studded sophomore class at ISU that also includes sophomore national qualifiers Nick Fanthorpe (133), Nick Gallick (141), Mitch Mueller (149), Cyler Sanderson (157) and David Zabriskie (heavyweight).

“We’re all real close to each other,� Varner said. “We all help each other and push each other in the room. I give a lot of credit to those guys for helping me. They all work really hard. It’s a great group of guys.�

The influence of ISU assistant coach Tim Hartung, a two-time NCAA champion for Minnesota and a past U.S. World Team member, also has paid off for Varner.

Hartung recruited Varner when Hartung was as an assistant coach at Iowa. Sanderson hired Hartung at Iowa State prior to the 2006-07 season.

“It has all worked out the best for me with Hartung being here now,� Varner said. “I like wrestling with Hartung – you really have to earn your takedowns with him. He’s taught me a lot. He has a great personality. I love working with him.�

Another aspect of the Iowa State program Varner likes is that Sanderson keeps the team loose off the mat.

It’s a side of Sanderson a lot of people don’t see.

“Cael jokes around with us a lot,� Varner said. “He has that real dry sense of humor where he is sarcastic and keeps you off guard. He loves video games and we’ve played them at his house. It’s a fun release away from wrestling.�

Varner said he plans to jump right into freestyle wrestling once the current college season ends. He made the U.S. Junior World Team the summer after he finished high school.

“I will wrestle in Las Vegas (at April’s U.S. Nationals) and try to make the Olympic Team this year,� he said. “One of my goals is to win the Olympics.�

For now, a more immediate goal is capturing his first NCAA title this March in St. Louis.

“I just have to keep working to get better in all three positions,� Varner said. “I’ve been working on my feet and on my shots. I’m working to get better on top. And I’ve improved in the down position – I had a hard time getting away from people last year. That’s where I got beat.�

The memory of the 2007 NCAA finals loss to Herbert, who is taking an Olympic redshirt this season, is motivation enough.

“My goal last year was to win the NCAA title,� Varner said. “I hate losing and it left a bad taste in my mouth. I learned from that loss. I’m a much better wrestler now.�

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 7:48 PM | Permalink

College Wrestling Brothers CP and Dustin Schlatter

When C.P. and Dustin Schlatter were little and growing up in Massillon, Ohio, it was not uncommon to see the two horsing around. Whether they were rolling around and breaking things in the house, taking each other down outside on the family trampoline, or just tag-teaming to beat up on dad Pat, wrestling was always a common bond. That bond remains strong as the two brothers are playing significant roles in Minnesota's quest for another national championship.

Separated by only 20 months from birth, the Schlatter brothers have really been, well, inseparable. Throughout adolescence, the two were often taught the same techniques by the same coaches and are still training partners to this day. C.P., a senior at 157 pounds, who takes to the mat in practice with Dustin, a junior at 149 pounds, says the opportunity to grow up and train with his little brother has been a memorable one.

"It's definitely been a special experience," C.P. said. "We have always had each other. I think it's been more helpful on the wrestling side having him as a workout partner."

Younger Dustin agrees.

"We have wrestled together our whole lives," he said. "The college level has had a big impact on both of us because I think we push each other more in training."

The success the two Schlatters have had already on the Golden Gopher program would make any grappler envious.

They are the only pair of brothers in school history to claim a Big Ten Championship in the same season - a feat the two siblings have now accomplished in each of the past two years.

In his first two years, Dustin has quickly become one of the school's top success stories in recent history. A four-time Ohio State champion who amassed a prep record of 154-4, Dustin found immediate success in Minneapolis, finishing his freshman campaign 42-1. He recorded a 19-1 mark in dual competition by outscoring his opponents by a dominant margin of 65-3. In addition to claiming the conference title, he was also named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

The highlight of his freshman season came when he upset top-ranked and defending national champion Zack Esposito of Oklahoma State in the title match. He was the first freshman in school history to win a national title. Dustin ended the season with 29 straight victories, a streak he would extend into his sophomore year and eventually increased to 65 consecutive wins, before falling in the NCAA Championship. He rebounded to finish third at nationals with a record of 37-1. Entering his junior season, his 79-2-0 career record equated to a .975 winning percentage - the highest in school history.

"I had a lot of fun last year, but ultimately I fell short of my goals," Dustin said. "The whole season is just preparation for March -- Big Tens and Nationals."

He's quick to point to his older brother as a reason he has been able to have so much success so early.

"A lot of that (came from) working out with C.P.," he said. "It's a big step up from high school and he prepared me for the mindset to wrestle in college early on. I was fortunate; it was crucial to my success."

Minnesota head coach J Robinson notes the support that each brother gives one another is not only beneficial to them, but to the program as well.

"There is a tremendous benefit because they have a built-in support system," Robinson said. "They go to each other for help. They spent their whole life looking after each other and they do that in college as well. When you have someone who you can confide in, it's very beneficial, especially in wrestling."

Robinson persuaded C.P. to Minneapolis as a member of what would become the nation's top recruiting class. The older Schlatter, who lost just once in 166 prep matches, was going to be one of the main cogs to the wheel that was going to drive the Golden Gophers to a number of national championships. This season, C.P. enters his senior season looking to help Minnesota to a successful defense of its NCAA title and its fourth since 2001.

C.P. redshirted in 2003-04, but made waves in the offseason when he won the gold medal in Greco-Roman at 74 kg at the Junior Pan-Am Championships in Maracaibo, Venezuela. But when he went to wrestle in the freestyle competition, something went wrong.

"I scored a takedown in my first match in freestyle and then my knee buckled," he said. "I tried to go again but it buckled a second time."

Sidelined for the start of his sophomore season, C.P. was still ranked 11th in the nation at 149 pounds. After he returned to the lineup in late-December, Robinson opted to move him up to 157 pounds. Since that move, C.P. has improved each year. Following a 17-11 record his freshman season, C.P. went 36-7 the next year and earned his first Big Ten title. Last season he finished 28-8 overall, won his second conference championship and earned his first All-American distinction by finishing sixth at the NCAA Championships.

With one year left, two goals remain: successfully defend the team's national title and win an individual NCAA Championship.

"I have had some fairly good years...tough years," said C.P. "But I haven't gotten a title for myself. J talked to all the seniors about that this year. He reminded us that we were the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation and we have yet to win any individual national titles."

One thing that Robinson does not have to worry about when it comes to both C.P. and Dustin is their academic success. Top students since their time in high school, both brothers have continued to have discipline both on the mat and in the classroom.

A nursing major, C.P. is a two-time Academic All-American and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.

"Sometimes it goes hand in hand," said Dustin, a communications major. "There is a strong work ethic that wrestling calls for, and I think you just take it into the classroom as well." 

The discipline and the upbringing of the Schlatter brothers is what has impressed Robinson the most.

"It's really about academics, athletics and a personal life when you come to college. They have done a great job with all three," Robinson said. "It's just a continuation of what they have done their whole life, but now it's just at a new place and a new level."

But not all is entirely the same with the Schlatter brothers. Robinson notes that as with all brothers, you're often going to have different personalities. He thinks C.P. is probably the one that is more focused and reserved of the two, while he calls Dustin the more carefree and "wild stallion" out on the mat. When asked to compare each other, Dustin says C.P. is the stronger, while he is probably the faster.

Together, however, they seem to be a perfect match. 
 For the Schlatter brothers, Minnesota has become the perfect home away from home. The two siblings now live together at school, which means mother Joyce no longer has to worry about matches taking place in her living room.

"When you leave home, you often leave your support system behind," said Robinson. "When you can bring it with you, your sibling can offer an intimacy that others can't. I think they share each other's victories and share each other's pains."

Which makes that bond a tough one to break.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 9:40 PM | Permalink

This is a blog post by 4x All-American Ben Askren. Go complain in the Freestyle Wrestling forum :)

So I figured it was about time for another blog post. I have been on the road for a while now, almost as much as that crazy road warrior Martin (from flowrestling), only problem is I don't have a really sweet van to sleep in. I started off my trip by going to Phoenix for the Sunkist kids open. It was nice to get to some warm weather, the tournament was so-so I had some good matches and some bad matches. I really felt my new style was coming into play which is good, it is the direction I need to move. Needless to say I wasn't happy with my finish, but it is all practice. I stuck around the Tempe area for a few days and got some training in with the Sunkist guys and played some Wii with Brian Stith. Then it was off to Vancouver with Team Sunkist. Take away some anti-American sentiment and Vancouver was an amazing city. I even got the chance to explore a little bit and go play some disc golf. One day I even took Nick Simmons and Travis Pascoe with me. Nick sank a shot from about 150 feet away, nothing but chains. The tournament also went really well. I had five matches which included a second round pin over Matt Gentry, then beat Ramico Blackmon in the Semis after losing the first period I came back to win 4-1,6-1. Then I avenged my Sunkist loss by beating Travis Paulson in the finals. It felt really good to win a tourney after getting disappointed continually in FS. Then in the challenge match I wrestled Jake Herbert (because he was the 84kg). I figured this would be a very anticipated match up per themat.com forums. Unfortunately we only wrestled on period because Jake had a bum knee from earlier in the day. But no worries, we plan on training together over Xmas break, so maybe we can charge $10 a head for spectators. Then from Vancouver it was off the the Springs where I am right now. Doing some training then it is back home Saturday, but back off next week to NYAC to see if I can keep my roll going. So here I am traveling the country chasing my dream and living the good life.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 10:01 PM | Permalink