Big Ten Network : Wrestling Top Stories

Network to double wrestling coverage in '09-10

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:34:00 +0000

Network to double wrestling coverage in '09-10

Illini promote Perry to associate head coach

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 17:46:00 +0000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois head coach Jim Heffernan announced the promotion of Carl Perry to the position of associate head coach on Tuesday. Perry is in his eighth year on the Fighting Illini coaching staff and has helped produce 19 All-Americans and six NCAA finalists during his seven years at Illinois. He brings expertise along with experience, as he was the 2000 NCAA champion at 141 pounds and a two-time All-American. "Carl is a very important member of our staff and is very deserving of this promotion," Heffernan said. "He is integral to all of our efforts from coaching to recruiting to the many administrative duties he performs. I am extremely happy to have him on our staff as we continue to work toward winning Big Ten and NCAA championships." Perry has been instrumental in the success of Illinois' lightweights and middleweights over the past seven seasons, particularly in the development of three-time All-American Mike Poeta and two-time All-American Jimmy Kennedy. He also coordinates team travel and often drills with Illini wrestlers during practice. "It is an honor to be named associate head coach," Perry said. "I'm excited to stay at Illinois, which I have great passion for as an alumnus, and I'm thankful for the support from athletic director Ron Guenther, our administration and Jim Heffernan. I look forward to continuing to help build Illinois wrestling into the perennial national title contender we all believe it can be." Perry was a four-time NCAA qualifier during his wrestling career and compiled a 13-6 career record at the NCAA Championships. He was a two-time team captain and finished his time as an Illini student-athlete in the top 20 of career wins (98) and winning percentage (.748). He also helped the 2000 Illini squad to the best dual winning percentage in school history (.933), as the team was 14-1 in duals that season.

Q&A: Gophers wrestling coach J Robinson

Michael Rand — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

J Robinson is about to embark on his 24th season coaching the Gophers wrestling team. But identifying him only by that title probably sells Robinson short. He recently took time to talk about wrestling and various other endeavors -- including a trip to Iraq, which he leaves for today -- with the Star Tribune's Michael Rand. Q Can you tell me a little more about the Iraq trip? A Chaplain (John) Morris is with the 34th Red Bull Infantry, made up of the Minnesota National Guard, and he asked me. There's a wrestler who lost his legs, and I had gone to visit him at the V.A. Hospital. When the division was going to deploy, I went to their going away deal, and told (Morris) that if there was anything else I could do, don't hesitate to call and ask. I don't know how it all started, but I think he sent out some general stuff and got things going. It came down to it that I was just going to go by myself and pay for my own ticket, and then a couple of organizations stepped up to help me. I said I'd go over there and hang out with the guys. I was in that spot a long time ago, and I know what it means to have someone come and visit. Q You served in Vietnam and have been affiliated in various ways with the armed forces. How has that experience shaped you, and will you share some of those experiences with the guys in Iraq? A I think one of the biggest things is when you are so far away from home, you just miss home. Things that people take for granted. You miss McDonalds, Burger King. Another thing you don't really realize is you're doing something that's critically important, and there are a lot of people who don't understand it and take it for granted. I want to remind them that they're doing something very special. Q You spoke recently at the memorial service for Norman Borlaug, a former wrestler and Nobel Peace Prize winner from the U of M. For those who don't know, can you describe the relationship the two of you had? A Like a lot of things, you build it on something. For us, it was wrestling. He came in one day, and I got to know him. He related many times what wrestling did for him. The great thing about Norman was how genuine he was. I don't think he ever forgot who he was, and the humility he had for being one of the 100 most influential people in the 20th century. ... His life is just a living legacy of the beauty of helping people. Q The first meet of the wrestling season is in about a month. You have the nation's top-ranked recruiting class for the second year in a row. How good can this year's team be? A I think they're pretty good right now. This team is going to be as good as they think they can be. Sky is the limit. Does it mean young guys have to come through? Yeah, but we have young guys that can come through. I think it's going to be a fun year. Q Do you see changes in the way you coach and the mindset of the athletes you get now vs. when you started with the program in 1986? A There are things that change, but principles don't change. Hard work, all the things that make people great are the same things that made people great 50 years ago. You change some minor things. How you relate to people. You learn that some things work and some things don't work. But fundamentals don't change. Q You have varied interests. How much longer do you plan to keep coaching? A As long as I'm enjoying it, I don't see any reason in doing anything else. There are other things I enjoy doing, but that's just part of the whole process. Copyright 2009 Star TribuneAll Rights Reserved

Ex-Wildcat takes silver at 2009 World Championships

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:59:00 +0000

HERNING, Denmark -- United States World Team member and former Northwestern star Jake Herbert won his first four matches at the 2009 Wrestling World Championships, becoming the only American representative in any of the seven gold-medal matches. Facing Zaurbek Sokhiev of Uzbekistan, Herbert pushed the final bout to overtime before falling in the clincher round (1-0, 0-0, 1-0) to come away with a silver medal. Sokhiev had previously won a silver medal at the 2007 World Championships. The clincher round in freestyle wrestling begins with what is in effect a coin toss to determine which wrestler will be on the attack to start the period. If the attacking wrestler does not score on his opponent within 30 seconds, the defensive wrestler wins the match. Herbert lost the coin toss and surrendered a score to Sokhiev halfway through the clincher period, giving the gold in the 84-kg (185 pound) weight class to Sokhiev. "For Jake to reach the finals in his first trip to the World Championships is just an unbelievable accomplishment, it's really hard to even describe," said Northwestern head coach Tim Cysewski. "These are the same guys he'll be competing against when he tries to make and win the Olympics four years from now. To lose in overtime in the finals the way he did, you can't come any closer than that." Herbert's journey to the finals from a field of 37 wrestlers was an incredible one, beginning with his opening-round defeat of Germany's Davyd Bichinashvili, the fifth-place freestyle finisher at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After that, Herbert overcame Sharif Sharifov (Azerbaijan), Gokhan Yavaser (Turkey) and Abdusalam Gadisov (Russia) to set up his meeting with Sokhiev in the finals. Tuesday's matches represented a culmination of months of training at US Olympic Training Centers as well as Overtime Wrestling in Naperville for Herbert, who qualified for the World Championships on June 1 with his first-place finish at the US World Team Trials in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Herbert's silver medal performance caps a memorable 2009 for the native of Wexford, Pa. He graduated from Northwestern in June following his record-setting career at NU during which he won two NCAA championships and the 2009 Hodge Trophy in addition to becoming one of the most consistent winners in NCAA history with a career record of 149-4. Wildcat fans have the opportunity to salute Herbert for his accomplishments both on the collegiate and world stage when he is honored during halftime of Northwestern's football game against Penn State on Oct. 31 at Ryan Field.

New wrestling official coordinator for Big Ten

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:35:00 +0000

PARK RIDGE, Ill. --- Jim Ramirez has been appointed Coordinator of Wrestling Officials for the Big Ten and Big 12 Conferences. Ramirez will be responsible for the assignment, evaluation, and training of the leagues' officials, while also serving as the liaison to NCAA officiating committees. His extensive background in the field includes officiating 16 NCAA Division I National Wrestling Tournaments, numerous Pac-10 and Big Ten Conference tournaments, and conducting more than 30 nation-wide clinics for high school wrestling referees. He also authored the book The Art of Officiating College Wrestling. The Arkansas City, Kan., native has served as a city commissioner and mayor for Arkansas City as well as executive director and TQM Training Manager for Boeing Airplanes.

Ex-Gopher: 'I screwed up, and I apologize'

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:56:00 +0000

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Ex-Gopher Brock Lesnar is well on his way to becoming mixed martial arts' biggest name. As he showed in UFC 100, he's already its biggest jerk. That's certainly good news for the UFC's bottom line, since fans of any sport love to hate a proper villain. It's not so good for the mainstream image of a sport that publicly claims it wants nothing to do with its heavyweight champion's pro wrestling-style theatrics in the main event at the league's landmark event Saturday night. "That's not who Brock really is, and what he did out there is not real," UFC president Dana White said after the unflattering end to his league's otherwise successful weekend in its hometown. "You don't have to act like someone you're not. This isn't the WWE. I'm not trying to get someone to act all crazy so we'll do more pay-per-views. That's not what this sport is about." After being chastened by White, Lesnar quickly regretted his bad-boy behavior during his second-round stoppage of Frank Mir for his first title defense. Although the UFC made more than $5 million at the gate while broadcasting the event in a record 75 countries, the former pro wrestler realized he did some damage to that shaky bridge between MMA's loyal fans and the skeptical general public that already has trouble separating the UFC from the WWE. "I was so jacked up (because) I'm used to selling pay-per-view tickets," said Lesnar, who left the WWE several years ago. "I come from a business that is purely entertainment. I screwed up, and I apologize." In just his fifth MMA fight after a winding athletic path through college wrestling, fake wrestling and the Minnesota Vikings' training camp, Lesnar first refused to touch gloves with Mir. The hulking 265-pounder spent most of the fight's two rounds on top of Mir, using his weight and wrestling skill to wear down Mir's defenses, before finishing with a relentless series of right hands to Mir's face. Lesnar (4-1), who lost to Mir last year, then taunted his fallen opponent while Mir still sat on his stool, his face bloody and swollen. When the Mandalay Bay crowd booed, Lesnar made a two-handed obscene gesture, followed by a rambunctious interview in which he insulted a prominent UFC sponsor and made an off-color comment about his own wife. When Lesnar finally left the octagon, White cornered him in a bathroom for a tongue-lashing that left Lesnar apologetic. Yet it didn't wipe the grin off his face while he drank a Bud Light, just moments after claiming he preferred Coors Light over the UFC sponsor, "because Bud Light won't pay me." "The only thing I had against Frank was that he beat me (last year)," said Lesnar, who turned 32 on Sunday. "We both talked a lot of crap, and in the end, I was just amped up." That's slight consolation to White, who claimed he was "blown away" by Lesnar's antics and poor sportsmanship. The UFC knows it still hasn't sold its respectable image to a widespread audience, and having a heavyweight champion who can't control his inner 14-year-old doesn't help. "Brock is talented," White said. "He's accomplished something that nobody has ever accomplished (by winning the title so quickly). Let that speak for you, not what you saw out there. ... That's not who he is. I've spent time with this guy. He's a smart guy, but he gets in there, the (energy) starts kicking. The mouth is moving, but the brain isn't sending stuff to the mouth." That mouth will keep running, however. With his legion of fans and haters who have followed him since the WWE, Lesnar probably is the UFC's biggest pay-per-view draw. UFC 100 has a chance to top 1.5 million buys, which would make it the biggest non-boxing PPV event. While the UFC moves on to its next showcases in Philadelphia and Portland, Ore., White must decide when to put his misbehaving heavyweight champ back in the octagon. The UFC stable contains a handful of fighters who could pose a threat, although Lesnar's rapidly improving MMA skills make him more daunting by the month. But White remains confident he'll eventually sign Fedor Emelianenko, the Russian heavyweight considered among the sport's top pound-for-pound fighters. Emelianenko fights in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 1 to finish his contract with Affliction, and White said he'll go after the Russian striker with an open wallet. "Eventually, Fedor is going to be here," White said. "I want him to come to the UFC. ... We'll do Brock vs. Fedor, and it'll be a huge fight. He's obviously contractually obligated to fight (in Anaheim), and once that's over, we'll see how it goes." Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Purdue recruit wins 130-pound freestyle title

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 12:53:00 +0000

FARGO, N.D. - Incoming freshman Cashé Quiroga captured the Boilermakers' second U.S.A. Wrestling Junior National Championship in a week on Saturday, capturing the 130-pound freestyle title. Fellow Indiana native Camden Eppert was very successful as well, earning fifth place overall in the 119-pound freestyle bracket. Quiroga rolled through the 130-pound bracket over the four-day tournament, posting a 9-0 record en route to his first career Fargo title. After moving up from 125 pounds through his senior season, Quiroga collected three technical falls through his tournament run over some of the nation's best. He took down Old Dominion signee Justin LaValle of Minnesota by decision, 3-3, 3-0, 10-4, and bested the Dardanes brothers, Nick and Chris, of Illinois, topping Chris, 3-0, 1-0, and defeating 11th-ranked Nick, 1-2, 7-0, 5-0, in the finals. Quiroga looks to compete at either 125 or 133 pounds for the Boilermakers this winter. Eppert's fifth-place showing came on the strength of a 7-2 tournament record, knocking off Illinois' Joe Roth in the championship round, 5-0, 2-0. Eppert rolled to the final rounds with six straight wins, including a trio of technical falls. His two losses in the tournament came to the tournament champion, Ty Mitch of Ohio, and 2009 Stanford signee Ryan Mango of Missouri, who finished fourth overall. Eppert was a two-time Indiana high school champion and was named an Asics All-America honorable mention this year. He'll look to compete at 125 pounds this year for Purdue. Greco-Roman Most Outstanding Wrestling Kendrick Sanders kicked off his pursuit for a double-championship at 152 pounds in grand fashion, posting a fall and two technical falls in his first three matches. However, he was forced to withdraw after building his 3-0 record due to a lingering hamstring injury in the Greco-Roman tournament. The Boilermakers will look for Sanders to compete at 149 pounds this winter.

Northwestern hires former OU star Storniolo

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 10:19:00 +0000

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Matt Storniolo, a two-time All-American at 149 pounds while wrestling for Oklahoma, is the newest addition to Northwestern's coaching staff, head coach Tim Cysewski announced on Friday. Storniolo has spent the last two seasons as a volunteer assistant at Old Dominion where he trained closely with Ryan Williams, the 2009 NCAA runner-up at 141 pounds. "Matt was an outstanding college wrestler and we saw in person the influence he had on the wrestlers he coached at Old Dominion," Cysewski said. "We think his experience, technical skill and passion for the sport will really help our guys, particularly at the middle weights." "We're really excited to bring in an individual like Matt who has gone deep in the NCAA Championships as a wrestler and a coach," said associate head coach Andrew Pariano. "He's going to play a huge part in all aspects of our program moving forward." Storniolo began his college wrestling career at Penn State, reaching the finals of the Big Ten Championships on his way to winning the conference's Freshman of the Year honors. After transferring to Oklahoma, Storniolo reached the Big XII Tournament finals each of the next three years, claiming the league championship as a senior in 2007. "It is an honor to be welcomed on to the Wildcat coaching staff and I look forward to helping Coach Cysewski and Coach Pariano continue to build this program into one of the nation's elite," Storniolo said. "I am happy to be back in the Big Ten and excited to work with all of the talented wrestlers that Tim and Drew have assembled. This is a dedicated team and coaching staff and I really feel that the sky is the limit for this program." A four-time qualifier for the NCAA Championships, Storniolo earned his first All-American honor by placing seventh as a sophomore before improving to a fourth-place finish as a junior. In his senior campaign, he entered the tournament as the second-ranked wrestler in the nation. Before college, Storniolo wrestled to an undefeated senior year at State College Area High School in Pennsylvania en route to a state championship. He was also named a high school All-American. Storniolo graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science degree in human relations. Northwestern's season officially gets underway Nov. 7 in the Eastern Michigan Open.

NU wrestling adds assistant coach

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:22:00 +0000

EVANSTON, Ill. Matt Storniolo, a two-time All-American at 149 pounds while wrestling for Oklahoma, is the newest addition to Northwestern's coaching staff, head coach Tim Cysewski announced on Friday. Storniolo has spent the last two seasons as a volunteer assistant at Old Dominion where he trained closely with Ryan Williams, the 2009 NCAA runner-up at 141 pounds. "Matt was an outstanding college wrestler and we saw in person the influence he had on the wrestlers he coached at Old Dominion," Cysewski said. "We think his experience, technical skill and passion for the sport will really help our guys, particularly at the middle weights." "We're really excited to bring in an individual like Matt who has gone deep in the NCAA Championships as a wrestler and a coach," said associate head coach Andrew Pariano. "He's going to play a huge part in all aspects of our program moving forward." Storniolo began his college wrestling career at Penn State, reaching the finals of the Big Ten Championships on his way to winning the conference's Freshman of the Year honors. After transferring to Oklahoma, Storniolo reached the Big XII Tournament finals each of the next three years, claiming the league championship as a senior in 2007. "It is an honor to be welcomed on to the Wildcat coaching staff and I look forward to helping Coach Cysewski and Coach Pariano continue to build this program into one of the nation's elite," Storniolo said. "I am happy to be back in the Big Ten and excited to work with all of the talented wrestlers that Tim and Drew have assembled. This is a dedicated team and coaching staff and I really feel that the sky is the limit for this program." A four-time qualifier for the NCAA Championships, Storniolo earned his first All-American honor by placing seventh as a sophomore before improving to a fourth-place finish as a junior. In his senior campaign, he entered the tournament as the second-ranked wrestler in the nation. Before college, Storniolo wrestled to an undefeated senior year at State College Area High School in Pennsylvania en route to a state championship. He was also named a high school All-American. Storniolo graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science degree in human relations. Northwestern's season officially gets underway Nov. 7 in the Eastern Michigan Open.

Purdue recruit wins Greco-Roman title

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:01:00 +0000

FARGO, N.D. – Incoming Purdue wrestling freshman Kendrick Sanders won the U.S.A. Wrestling Junior Greco-Roman National Championship at 152 pounds on Tuesday in Fargo, N.D. The national title was the second for the Florida native, who joins the Boilermakers this fall. Sanders posted a flawless 9-0 record over the four-day tournament, surrendering only two points throughout the week. He notched a pair of falls and three technical falls en route to the title, beating out some of the nation's top high school talent along the way. He closed out the tournament in grand fashion, blanking Kalvin York of Wisconsin by technical fall, 6-0, 6-0, and earning most outstanding wrestler of the championship honors. He was tabbed the No. 55 recruit in the nation and the No. 7 wrestler in the country at 145 pounds in 2009 by InterMat Wrestling, helping the Boilermakers' to the No. 12 recruiting class in the nation this year. Sanders was a three-time Florida State Champion at South Dade High School near Miami, Fla., and competed in the prestigious Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic in March and was named an Asics All-America honorable mention in 2009. Sanders won his first national championship at the U.S.A. Wrestling Cadet Greco-Roman championships in 2007. Sanders and several other future Boilermaker grapplers look to further their national honors later this week in the U.S.A. Wrestling Junior Freestyle National Championships.

Incoming Purdue freshman wins USA Junior Greco-Roman title

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:48:00 +0000

Former OU star joins Badger wrestling staff

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 13:41:00 +0000

Jared Frayer, a two-time All-American at Oklahoma, will join the Badger wrestling program as an assistant coach, head coach Barry Davis announced Wednesday. "The UW Wrestling coaching staff is pleased to have Jared Frayer join our staff," Davis said. "Jared brings a wealth of recruiting and coaching experience to our program and he will be a great addition to the wrestling room. Because Jared is still competing at the international level, our young guys will be able to see and experience this advanced level of competition in our room and will benefit from Jared's extraordinary work ethic and determination." The hiring of Frayer rounds out Davis's coaching staff for the 2009-10 season. He joins associate head coach Donny Pritzlaff and volunteer assistant coach Cory Wallman on Davis's staff. "I'm really excited to join the Wisconsin coaching staff," Frayer said. "It's a step forward in my coaching career and I'm excited about the team that the Badgers have. I've always been close with Donny and always watched what his guys were doing. To be around a young group of guys like we have now, it's just an exciting time for Wisconsin wrestling and an exciting time for me and my family to come to Madison." Frayer has had the opportunity to wrestle in four different U.S. World Team Trials, most recently placing second this spring in the 66 kg/145.5 lbs. freestyle division. He was also the 2007 U.S. National Freestyle runner-up, placing third in 2004 and 2005, fourth in 2006 and fifth in 2009. In 2008, Frayer placed third at the U.S. Open and fourth at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Frayer comes to Wisconsin after working as the strength and conditioning coach at Iowa during the 2008-09 season. During his lone season with the Hawkeyes, Frayer helped condition the Hawkeyes to their second-straight NCAA and Big Ten team titles, crowning five All-Americans and two Big Ten champions. Frayer worked extensively with juniors Brent Metcalf and Dan Erekson who won Big Ten titles en route to the school's 33rd conference team championship. Prior to his strength and conditioning coach role at Iowa, Frayer spent three years (2003-06) as an assistant coach at Harvard. A two-time all-American and the 2002 NCAA runner-up at 149 pounds, Frayer was a four-time NCAA qualifier for the University of Oklahoma. He won the 2002 Big 12 Conference title, and the 2000 Wade Schalles Award for recording the most pins of any collegiate competitor that season. A two-time Academic All-Big XII honoree, Frayer was also a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Board from 2000-2002. Frayer earned a degree in social studies education from Oklahoma in 2002. His wife's name is Nicole.

Sanderson, PSU ink sixth-best class

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 13:14:00 +0000

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling program, under the guidance of new head coach Cael Sanderson, has finalized its 2009-10 recruiting class and Intermat has ranked the strong group No. 6 nationally. Seven new faces are set to embark upon their freshman years at Penn State. With ASICS All-Americans David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) and Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.) already announced, three-time Arizona state champion Luke Macchiaroli (Tempe, Ariz.) leads the list of talented newcomers helping to build up the class. Macchiaroli, who was released from his national letter of intent with Iowa State, followed Sanderson to Penn State and brings a long list of high school accolades with him from the Southwest. In addition to three state titles, Macchiaroli was Arizona's winner of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (an award that Taylor won nationally), notched a 176-9 career record and leaves Corona del Sol High School as the all-time leader in takedowns (491), pins (101) and team points (1,013). He went undefeated as a junior and senior (101-0) and was 48-0 this past year (winning the state title at 215). Macchiaroli initially projects at 197 for the Nittany Lions. Lucas Fedechko (Glassboro, N.J.) comes to Penn State from New Jersey's Delsea High School. Fedechko wrestled at 135 this past season and projects at 133 or 141 for Penn State. He was ranked No. 6 in the state by the Newark Star Ledger and was a two-time New Jersey State place winner after taking fourth this past season. Tom Reynolds (Skillman, N.J.) comes to Penn State from New Jersey's Montgomery High School. Reynolds was an All-Somerset first team pick at 125 by the Newark Star Ledger and was a two-time New Jersey state qualifier. Hunter Smith (Exton, Pa.) comes to Penn State after a stellar career at West Chester Henderson High School in suburban Philadelphia. Smith posted a 34-4 record at 171 this past season and advanced to the PIAA state semifinals. He then injury-forfeited out of consolations to take sixth place. The two-time PIAA place winner posted a 91-18 career record at Henderson and projects at 165 or 174 this year. Jim Vollrath (Richboro, Pa.) comes to Penn State after a superb career at Council Rock South High School. Vollrath, who wrestled at 145, went 41-4 this past season and was a PIAA place winner. He then went on to earn High School All-America honors and left CRSHS with a 132-45 record. Vollrath could wrestle at 141 or 149 early on. In addition to the sixth-ranked recruiting class, Sanderson and company will have the services of All-American Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah). Cyler, the younger brother of Cael and associate head coach Cody, has officially transferred in from Iowa State and is enrolled at Penn State. Sanderson was a 2008 All-American, placing seventh at 157. Sanderson advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals this year but was stopped just short of a second All-America tag. He comes to Penn State with an 82-26 career record and will wrestle at 157 as a Nittany Lion senior. Penn State Wrestling season tickets for the 2009-10 season can be reserved now. To make a $20 deposit on the best Rec Hall locations, fans should call 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Current wrestling season ticket holders do not need to make a new deposit and will simply go through the coming renewal process. Penn State wrestling season tickets are all reserved locations in Rec Hall. The exact seat assignments for new commitments will not be available until the renewal cycle is complete, but new season ticket commitments made now will be assigned locations based on Nittany Lion Club point totals and the time/date the deposit was received by Penn State Athletics. Season ticket pricing for the 2009-10 season will be finalized and announced by July 1, 2009.

IU signs 23rd-ranked recruting class

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 13:07:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Head Coach Duane Goldman and his staff brought in the No. 23 recruiting class for the 2009-10 season according to Intermat, who released their national top-25 rankings Tuesday. The Hoosiers will welcome two top-100 individual recruits to Bloomington in the fall, No. 46 Ryan LeBlanc (Morrsville Eaton, N.Y.) and No. 57 Max Ortega (Rio Rancho, N.M.). They each committed during the early signing period and combined as Intermat's 17th-ranked Early Recruiting Class. Max Ortega, projected in the 141-149 lbs. range, is a four-time New Mexico state champion from Rio Rancho High School. Sound familiar? That's because Max's older brother, Matt, was also a four-time New Mexico state champion and will be a redshirt sophomore on the Hoosier wrestling squad this upcoming winter. Indiana also snagged a big-time recruit from the Empire State, signing two-time New York state champion Ryan LeBlanc. LeBlanc hails from Morrisville-Eaton High School. Both grapplers earned All-American honors at the NHSCA Senior Nationals. Two other notable IU recruits according to Intermat are Justin Brooks (Warsaw, Ind.) and Tanner Kriss (Colby, Kan.). Brooks was a Junior National All-American in freestyle, while Kriss completed his senior season of high school with a state title. The Big Ten Conference flexed its muscle in the national rankings as nine of the 11 schools were present in the top-25, including seven Big Ten institutions in the top-13. TheOpenMat.com also tabbed Indiana's class No. 23 in the country in their inaugural rankings. Here is what they had to say: "We expect big things from Coach Goldman's '09 class. First and foremost, Max Ortega, a New Mexico product who won 4 state titles and was a 3x finalist of NHSCA's national class tournament, is the Hoosier's future at 149. Ryan LeBlanc (165) won two NYS titles while Tanner Kriss (197) was crowned three times in Kansas. To supplement these standouts are in-state 4x placer Justin Brooks (125) and GA 2xer, Anthony Fretwell (Locust Grove, Ga.).

Gophers boast nation's top recruiting class

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:21:00 +0000

The University of Minnesota wrestling 2009 recruiting class has garnered another top billing as the best class in the nation. D1CollegeWrestling.net released its third annual recruiting class rankings Tuesday, and at the head of the class were the Golden Gophers. Minnesota beat out a trio of Big XII schools for the top spot as Oklahoma State came in second, ahead of Oklahoma in third and Nebraska at fourth. Big Ten rival Iowa rounded out the top five in the rankings. Other Big Ten squads ranked among top recruiting classes include Penn State at number eight and Ohio State, Michigan and Purdue at 11, 12 and 13 respectively. Finally Wisconsin rounded out the Big Ten representation as the last team in the rankings at number 20. The Minnesota recruiting class is headlined by top-ranked recruits Tony Nelson (Cambridge, Minn.) and Alec Ortiz (Newberg, Ore.), All-Americans Bart Reiter (Gilbertville, Iowa), Kevin Steinhaus (Kerkhoven, Minn.) Pat Smith (Chaska, Minn.) and David Thorn (St. Michael, Minn.), national champion Daniel Zilverberg (Wayzata, Minn.) and Olympian Jake Deitchler (Anoka, Minn.). In May, the 2009 Golden Gopher recruiting class also earned the distinction as the best in the country from Wrestling Insider News (W.I.N.) Magazine. This marks the second consecutive year that head coach J Robinson has brought in the Nation's best recruiting class. D1CollegeWrestling.net 2009 Recruiting Class Rankings 1. Minnesota 2. Oklahoma State 3. Oklahoma 4. Nebraska 5. Iowa 6. Virginia 7. Old Dominion 8. Penn State 9. Virginia Tech 10. Cornell 11. Ohio State 12. Michigan 13. Purdue 14. Missouri 15. Stanford 16. Wyoming 17. NC State 18. Boise State 19. Lehigh 20. Wisconsin

Top wrestling recruit to attend Penn State

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 10:12:00 +0000

STATE COLLEGE, Pa.; June 9, 2009 – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling program, under the guidance of head coach Cael Sanderson, received more outstanding news today as high school All-American David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) committed to Penn State. Taylor is considered by many to be the top wrestling recruit in the nation. He signed a financial aid letter today and will join the Nittany Lions this fall for the 2009-10 campaign. Taylor had signed a national letter of intent to attend Iowa State but was given a release from that NLI earlier this spring when Sanderson made the move to Happy Valley to take over the reins of the Nittany Lion program. Since an athlete may only sign one NLI, Taylor's acceptance of the financial aid agreement solidifies his status as Penn State's newest Nittany Lion grappler. "We're very pleased to welcome David to Penn State,"" Sanderson said. ""He is an outstanding young man from an outstanding family and his addition to our program is great news for every Penn State wrestling fan. David is a special talent whose character will allow him to excel at the collegiate level and it is an honor to have him join our program."" Taylor, the son of David and Kathy Taylor, recently concluded an outstanding high school career at St. Paris Graham High School in St. Paris, Ohio. Under the guidance of head coach Jeff Jordan, the Falcons have reeled off a stunning nine consecutive Ohio State Division II state titles and have claimed the 2008 DII National Championship as well. Taylor has had a major influence on St. Paris-Graham's fortunes. This past year, Taylor received the prestigious Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award. The award is given in honor of the former Olympic and World Champion and is given to the nation's top wrestler, evaluated on excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, character, citizenship and community service. Taylor posted an amazing 180-2 overall record in four years and won four consecutive Ohio State Championships. As a high school freshman and sophomore, Taylor claimed the 103 pound title and as a junior he won the 112 pound crown. This past year, Taylor moved up to 135 for his senior season and rolled to his fourth straight championship. David was named the 2009 Ohio State Wrestling Tournament's Outstanding Wrestler and was named the Ohio Wrestler of the Year in each of the past two seasons. Not just garnering Ohio laurels, Taylor is a two-time Asics First Team All-American and has claimed the Beast of the East crown and won the Ironman title an unprecedented four times. He is the only wrestler in that tournament's long and storied history to win four titles. He also won three Cadet and two Junior National titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman competition. Taylor was a member of the 2007 FILA Junior World team as well. "David Taylor is the kind of athlete any coach would be proud to work with,"" Sanderson continued. ""We are welcoming an outstanding young man to our program that is as committed to academic excellence and his community as he is to succeeding on the mat. He is an impressive person and I am confident that our fans will enjoy watching David's career unfold."" Taylor's off-the-mat achievements are as impressive as his work for the Falcon wrestlers. He is a member and officer of the 4-H Club and is ranked in the top 10 of his class, carrying a 4.0 GPA into his final days at St. Paris-Graham. As an Asics All-America first teamer, Taylor joins fellow first teamer and Nittany Lion signee Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), who was also an Asics All-America first team selection after his title-winning run at the Blair Academy this past season, and Luke Macchiaroli (Tempe, Ariz.) in this year's recruiting class. Penn State Wrestling season tickets for the 2009-10 season can be reserved now. To make a $20 deposit on the best Rec Hall locations, fans should call 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Current wrestling season ticket holders do not need to make a new deposit and will simply go through the coming renewal process. Penn State wrestling season tickets are all reserved locations in Rec Hall. The exact seat assignments for new commitments will not be available until the renewal cycle is complete, but new season ticket commitments made now will be assigned locations based on Nittany Lion Club point totals and the time/date the deposit was received by Penn State Athletics. Season ticket pricing for the 2009-10 season will be finalized and announced by July 1, 2009.

Illini wrestling hires two assistants

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:45:00 +0000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois head wrestling coach Jim Heffernan has announced the hiring of Jeremy Hunter as an assistant coach and the addition of Mike Poeta as a volunteer assistant coach, completing Heffernan's first coaching staff. Hunter and Poeta will join Carl Perry as on Heffernan's staff, giving the Fighting Illini a wealth of experience and expertise, including three national championships, 12 All-America honors and a variety of international experience. Poeta also will continue to train for and compete in freestyle events, having recently won the Northern Plains Senior Regional. "I am extremely pleased that we are able to announce that Jeremy Hunter will remain on our staff as an assistant coach and Mike Poeta as a volunteer assistant," Heffernan said. "Their knowledge, work ethic and past experience as successful competitors will play important roles in all areas of the program. Jeremy has been an integral part of our success for the past eight years and Mike for the past five years, and they will continue to be very valuable assets to our student-athletes. We are fortunate to have Jeremy and Mike at Illinois." Hunter has served as a volunteer assistant coach with the Illini for the past eight seasons, working primarily with the lighter and heavier weights. Recently, he was instrumental in the success of 133-pounder Jimmy Kennedy and heavyweight John Wise, who both earned All-America honors at the 2009 NCAA Championships. Hunter was the NCAA champion at 125 pounds in 2000 and was a three-time All-American at Penn State, earning the honors from 1998-2000. He wrestled post-collegiately for four years, competing in two World Team Trials and the 2004 Olympic Trials, where he placed fourth at 55 kg. He was the 1999 Big Ten champion and finished in the top three in each of his four seasons. He was the 2000 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year after his second-straight 33-1 campaign and was the conference's Rookie of the Year in 1997. He led Penn State in scoring for three consecutive seasons and posted a string of 41 straight dual-meet wins. "I fell a little short of my goals in college," Poeta said. "But I'm in the next chapter of my career and I'm going to do everything in my power to be a world and Olympic champion while also doing everything I can to get as many NCAA champions in our program as possible." Poeta recently wrapped up a very successful collegiate career in which he was a three-time All-American and two-time national finalist. He won Big Ten 157-pound titles in 2008 and 2009, and finished his career with the second-best winning percentage in school history (.882). Poeta is the 10th three-time All-American in school history, and his 2008 campaign in which he went 35-3 ranks eighth in the Illini record books in winning percentage and ninth in wins.

New Penn St. wrestling coach greeted with splash

GENARO C. ARMAS — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:22:00 +0000

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Cheerleaders waved pom-poms, the lights dimmed and about 500 fans cheered and rose to their feet as Cael Sanderson walked out for his official introduction as the new head wrestling coach at Penn State. He stopped at a podium set up smack-dab in the middle of the Rec Hall floor under the scoreboard, right where the wrestling mat is laid out for home meets. Quite fitting for an Olympic gold medalist and undefeated, four-time NCAA champion who made waves in the college wrestling world when he accepted the Penn State job last week. The move ended Sanderson's hugely successful three-year coaching run at his alma mater, Iowa State. "I don't really have a lot to say right now ... I'm ready to get my feet on the ground and start moving," a soft-spoken Sanderson said to the crowd. "My plans are big, and my vision is big. It's just a matter of getting it done." Sanderson, 29, is held in high regard in wrestling circles. Some fans throw out superlatives like "the Michael Jordan of college wrestling" in describing his feats on the mat. He's not bad at coaching, either. The Cyclones were an elite program under Sanderson, having finished in the top five at nationals each year of his tenure. Over the three years, all 30 of his wrestlers qualified for the NCAAs. He's looking to build the same success at Penn State, which has had wrestling since 1909. The Nittany Lions won their only national title in 1953; the program had finished in the top 10 at the NCAA championships for most of the 1980s and 1990s before becoming inconsistent during the 11-year tenure of Troy Sunderland. He resigned earlier this month. Iowa State has won seven NCAA wrestling titles, most recently in 1987. Asked what attracted him to Happy Valley, Sanderson listed the challenge of building Penn State and the quality of Pennsylvania high school wrestling. "Pennsylvania has the best high school wrestling the country. Or second to Utah," joked Sanderson, a native of Heber City, Utah. "This is a school that people want to come to ... I knew about Penn State when I was a little kid." He sidestepped a question about salary during a news conference. In a blog posting Sunday on his personal Web site, Sanderson wrote, "I have answered many questions where people are speculating that I got a $1 million dollar contract ... or something ridiculous like that. The truth is that the offer I received was less than a 10 percent increase from what I made last year." A 2008 analysis by the Des Moines Register found that Sanderson's base salary of $110,000 was tied with Oklahoma's Jack Spates for highest among Division I wrestling coaches. "The reasons I'm here are simple. I've said several times it's not anything about financials," Sanderson said. "It's about the unique situation that Penn State University has. It's really that simple." Curley also declined comment about salary, citing university policy not to release such information. "He certainly deserves to be paid as one of the top coaches in the country," Curley said. Tom Elling, who runs the Web site "Pennsylvania Wrestling" and has covered the sport since 1973, said he was stunned by Sanderson's hiring. "There is no wrestling person in the nation that would be better than Cael Sanderson. He is the ultimate," Elling said. "When you have someone like Cael Sanderson, (Penn State) has the magnet to take it to the next level." Sanderson's high-profile introduction was a marked change at typically reserved Penn State -- as was his hiring itself. The Nittany Lions had a reputation for filling coaching vacancies with candidates who had ties to the university. Coupled with women's basketball coach Coquese Washington, who was hired two years ago, Curley's last two coaching hires among the school's higher-profile programs haven't had Penn State ties. "Every situation is different," Curley said. "We're trying to attract the best coach, the best candidate for the position regardless if they have a Penn State background or not. Certainly, if they do ... it's certainly a nice benefit." Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Ex-IU wrestler named assistant coach

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 15:25:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.- Two-time national champion and former IU grappler, Joe Dubuque, is returning to Bloomington for the 2009-10 season as an assistant coach for the Hoosier wrestling program. Dubuque spent the last three years as an assistant at Hofstra University. "We are very excited to have Joe rejoin us at IU," said Head Coach Duane Goldman. "He is the one of the most decorated athletes to ever represent IU. To have him here as a coach is tremendous for our staff, as well as our student-athletes. Joe brought so much to us as an athlete; I am looking forward to him being in the coaching seat." This past season, Dubuque helped Hofstra to a 27th-place showing at the NCAA Championships. Now back at IU, he joins his former teammate Pat DeGain as Indiana's two assistant coaches. While a Hoosier, Dubuque was a three-time NCAA All-American who captured national titles at 125 pounds in 2005 and 2006, posted an overall record of 114-18, including a 69-6 dual mark and a 19-6 Big Ten record in four years at Indiana University. As a senior during the 2005-06 season he recorded a 28-1 mark, including a 7-1 record against ranked opponents, and defeated three ranked opponents at the NCAA Championships en route to the 125-pound crown. Dubuque became just the second Hoosier in Indiana history to capture two national titles and the first Hoosier to register back-to-back NCAA crowns. In 2004-05 Dubuque placed third in the Big 10 Championships and then defeated three ranked opponents on his march to claim the 125-pound title at the national championships. He became the first Hoosier to appear in a NCAA final since Roger Chandler did so in 1997, and the first IU grappler to claim a national championship since Brian Dolph captured the 150-pound title in 1990. He finished the year with a 29-3 overall record, an 18-1 slate in duals, a 6-1 mark in the Big Ten and a 12-2 mark against ranked opponents. A year earlier Dubuque qualified for his first NCAA appearance with a fourth-place finish at the Big 10 Championships and then went on to earn All-America honors with an eighth-place showing at the NCAA Championships. He finished the year with a 34-9 overall record, a 21-2 dual mark and captured the 125-pound title at the Northern Iowa Open. Dubuque, a native of Bloomfield, New Jersey, was a scholastic national champion as a senior and a two-time state champion at Glenn Ridge High School. After redshirting the 2001-02 season, he tallied a 23-5 overall record and a 15-3 mark in dual meets, and ranked as high as 12th as a freshman, but missed the Big 10 Championships due to an injury. Dubuque earned a bachelor's degree in recreation sports management from Indiana. He and his wife, Jaime, have a son named Chase.

Gophers' Schlatter makes U.S. World Team

Mon, 1 Jun 2009 15:54:00 +0000

Minnesota wrestler Dustin Schlatter (Massillon, Ohio) defeated Travis Paulson to make the U.S. World Team in freestyle wrestling on May 30. Schlatter swept Paulson in two straight matches for the 74 kg/163 lbs. title at the World Team trials held in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The former National Champion makes his first U.S. World Team and will now advance to September's World Championships to be held in Herning, Denmark. Schlatter bested Paulson 1-0, 1-0 in the first match and completed the sweep with the same score in the second match for the World Championship berth. The NCAA Champion at 149 pounds in 2006, Schlatter has earned All-America status in each of his three seasons with the Golden Gophers.