HESKETT NAMED WRESTLING COACHFormer Ohio State Assistant, Four-Time All-American Joins Black Knights
 
WEST POINT, N.Y.  – Joe Heskett, a four-time All-American, national champion and former U.S. World Team member who spent the past four years as an assistant at Ohio State University, has been named the head wrestling coach at Army Athletics Director Kevin Anderson announced.Heskett, a 2001 graduate of Iowa State University, replaces Chuck Barbee who resigned following his 10th season to pursue other interests.
 
“I am very excited to have one of the young talents in collegiate wrestling as our head coach,” said Anderson. “Joe comes highly recommended from Athletic Director of the Year Gene Smith of Ohio State has unmatched credentials on the mat and his passion and dedication to the sport should pay immediate dividends. He has continued to advance his career and we are confident he can lead us to wins over Navy, EIWA Championships and national qualifiers.”
 
Heskett, who won the 165-pound national championship in 2002, is the ninth head coach in program history.
 
"Life will often surprise us with outstanding opportunities,” said Heskett. “I am humbled and honored to be able to lead and represent the Army wrestling program. I am inspired by what West Point represents and I graciously accept the challenge to mentor and motivate the cadet-athletes, improve their technical and tactical skills on the mat and to beat Navy. I would like to thank my family, Kevin Anderson, the West Point search committee, specifically Associate Athletic Director Gene McIntyre for his time and energy and the entire USMA athletic department."
 
Heskett, the eighth four-time All-American at Iowa State, graduated with a degree in speech communications and a career record of 143-9.
 
He was a three-time national finalist, winning one championship and finishing second and third. Heskett captured three Big 12 Championships, won the prestigious Midlands event on three occasions and graduated third on Iowa State’s all-time wins list.
 
Following his decorated collegiate career, Heskett earned a spot on the 2007 U.S. World Team after winning the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials. He represented the United States at the ’07 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan with a fifth-place finish. He dropped a tough, three-period battle with a two-time world champion from Russia in the semifinals before wrestling back to finish fifth and was one of five wrestlers to qualify at his weight for the Olympics. Earlier that summer, he won a silver medal at 163 pounds at the 2007 Pan American Games.Less than a week after returning from the World Championships, Heskett was forced to retire from competitive wrestling due to an injury and joined the Ohio State staff.Hired as the volunteer assistant in 2006, Heskett was training for the Olympics while assisting in recruiting, team academic support, cultivating donor and alumni relations and other operational duties. Shortly after his competitive retirement, he was promoted to full-time assistant on Tom Ryan’s staff as the chief recruiter. In addition to his work on the mat, Heskett also assumed responsibility for practice plans, academic progress and community service initiatives.
 
During his tenure at Ohio State, Heskett helped the Buckeyes to four top-10 team finishes at the NCAA Tournament, three NCAA champions and 15 All-Americans. He played a large role in securing the nation’s top recruiting class in 2006 and helped sign a host of top prospects.
 
Heskett began his coaching career at Cal Poly University where he was the head assistant wrestling coach an also earned his master’s degree with honors in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Athletic Administration. He assisted in all facets of the program, including fundraising, and helped the Mustangs to their highest NCAA placement in nearly 20 years.
 
Leadership and leadership training is another passion of Heskett’s. He was Iowa State’s representative at the NCAA Leadership Conference, a board member of the Children’s Body Image, a former member of the Major Ray Mendoza Leadership Fund and an Ambassador and Public Awareness Speaker for the Ohio State Medical Center. He is the founder and Chief Visionary Officer for h Leadership in Columbus, Ohio, a firm with an array of industry expertsA native of Akron, Ohio, Heskett and his wife Tara have two daughters, Olivia and Ava, and are expecting a son in late July. They will reside at West Point.

California USA Wrestling Joins the Fight to Save the UC Davis Wrestling Program
 
Fresno, CA – June 28th, 2010 – California USA Wrestling Inc. announced today that they have joined forces with the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) to help financially support the fight to reinstate the University of California, Davis wrestling program. The California USA Wrestling Board of Directors recently donated $20,000 to the cause.
 
Duane Morgan, state chair for California USA Wrestling, had this to say, “Wrestling programs throughout the state of California have taken a big hit over the past six months. Due to the elimination of the UC Davis wrestling program, the student-athletes are essentially left with very few options to stay within the state and wrestle at the Division 1 level. We chose to partner with the NWCA in an effort to help formulate a plan that not only translates into the reinstatement of the wresting program at UC Davis, but that also serves as a long term solution for the remaining college wrestling programs in California.”
 
In April, UC Davis abruptly announced that they were eliminating the wrestling program, and three other intercollegiate sports programs, effective July 1, 2010. The $20,000 donation made to the NWCA, by the California USA Wrestling Board of Directors, is an effort to help sustain an ongoing attempt to reinstate the UC Davis Wrestling program, and to help maintain existing Division 1 wrestling programs in the state of California.  Should UC Davis drop the wrestling program as announced, there will be no remaining collegiate wrestling programs in the University of California system.
 
UC Davis head wrestling coach, Lennie Zalesky, issued a public statement within hours of the announcement stating that the wrestling program had been eliminated. According to Zalesky, in the fall of 2009, he was informed by personnel at the University, that no matter what may come to be, football and wrestling were safe at UC Davis, yet the wrestling program was cut without any notice to the student body, student-athletes, coaching staff or coach Zalesky. Further, UC students were not allowed to attend the press conference announcing the elimination of the program.
 
According to Chancellor Linda Katehi, dropping athletics teams and losing opportunities for student-athletes is regrettable but necessary. However, neither Chancellor Katehi, any university administrators or Athletic Director Greg Warzecka ever discussed the prospect of eliminating the sports programs with the students, student-athletes or the coaching staff, despite the fact that the sports programs are largely funded from self-imposed student fees.
 
Mike Moyer, the executive director of the NWCA, feels that despite the financial situation California continually finds itself in, solutions may be better found with the active involvement of all parties.  Moyer stated, “To purposely ignore the student body, student-athletes and the coaching staff, and to ignore the student initiative, in which the student body agreed to a self imposed fee for sports programs, are disrespectful and irresponsible.”

 
Moyer also expressed his gratitude to California USA Wrestling, “The NWCA would like to personally thank Duane Morgan and the entire California USA Wrestling Board of Directors for their support. Their financial contribution is a testament to their continuous resolve to protect the interests of the wrestling community inCalifornia.”
 
The UC Davis wrestling program had the second highest fund-raising numbers (behind football) over the last three years (averaging $65,000/year), the highest alumni/donor support, and one of the most profitable per contest gates of any sport at UC Davis. This specific criterion was supposed to be examined when determining which programs to retain. The elimination of the UC Davis sports programs, which includes wrestling, as well as men’s and women’s swimming, currently effects 73 female and 80 male student-athletes.
 
About California USA Wrestling Inc.:
 
California USA Wrestling Inc. (CA-USAW) is a non-profit corporation that promotes amateur wrestling in many forms to Californians of all ages. California Wrestling is an affiliate of USA Wrestling in Colorado Springs, the national governing body for international-style amateur wrestling in the United States. They are the designated representatives for USA Wrestling in the State of California. CA-USAW educates the California public in both collegiate and international wrestling styles. In addition, the organization conducts and sponsors well-planned wrestling activities, including wrestling camps, clinics and tournaments, and other related programs in order to improve the quality of California wrestling at all competitive levels. 

About The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA):
The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a professional organization dedicated to serve and provide leadership for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on scholastic and collegiate wrestling programs. The membership embraces all people who are interested in amateur wrestling. The NWCA, through its organizational structure, promotes communication, recognition achievement, recommends rules and regulations, sponsors events and serves as an educational and informational source. Additionally, the NWCA strives to foster the sportsmanship and integrity that are the cornerstones of athletic competition.

Call it a rookie mistake.

We couldn’t help getting caught up in the Class AA wrestling scene entering this year’s District 3-AA Wrestling Championships at Hersheypark Arena.

Guess that’s what happens when you have Juniata’s Arty Walsh (119), Nick Hodgkins (135) and Colin Shober (140), all state champions, in the field. We also couldn’t avoid being enamored with a couple of loaded weight classes, specifically 130, 171 and 189.

But after scouring the bracket and seeing the first round and quarterfinals, which was completed in 150 minutes, we realized that there is no longer a reason to have sectional tournaments in Class AA.

Sure, there are hammers in this class, but the depth is lacking.

Big time.

Out of 56 first round matches, 39 were decided by major decision, tech fall or pin. That’s 69 percent of the matches providing bonus points. Out of those matches, 27 bouts finished off by fall.

It didn’t get any more competitive in the quarterfinal round. It’s not that there weren’t a few quality matches, but 37 of 56 bouts consisted of bonus points, with 21 coming via a pin.

In eight matches at 189 alone, there were seven pins, three of which ended in less than a minute, and a tech fall. There were 29 falls of two minutes or less throughout Friday’s championship and consolation matches in Class AA.

“A lot of the guys feel the postseason is big for their guys that don’t have a great record,” Boiling Springs head coach Rod Wright said. “If they make it out of sectionals, that is big for them.”

Fact is, excellence shouldn’t be given out. It should be earned. And under the current system, it is a free lunch.

There were 24 Class AA wrestlers entering districts with a .500 record. Get rid of sectionals and go to a two-day, blowout event for districts and seed the top wrestlers based on a power-rating system that is based on strength of schedule, wins and losses and tournament championships.

Would going to one weekend eliminate so many miss-matches, No. But it would eliminate the “pat on the back” mentality that seems to be developing in wrestling. It would also advance the best guys from districts to regionals and give them a good shot at states.

This tournament should be seeded and elite. The best-of-the-best in the district are supposed to meet in Saturday’s final. That isn’t happening right now in Class AA. Not at this level.

There have been rumblings --- or displeasure --- from a smattering of coaches with the slotting process and how two of the best wrestlers at a weight end up on the same side of the bracket.

For instance, at 112, Biglerville’s Trevor Hernandez (30-3) and Schuylkill Valley’s Nate Giorgio (39-3) will meet at 9 a.m. today in the semifinals. That should be the championship match.

District 3 Wrestling chairman Gerry Schwille took a straw vote at the coaches meeting and by a quick eye-ball count, most of the coaches were in favor of leaving things as is instead of going to a district only, two-day format.

“I don’t really care what they do,” Wright said. “But if they go to one tournament, they should seed it. That way, you get the best guys away from each other.

“If you keep it the same as it is, it should be seeded. Why can’t you seed the sectional champs? I don’t want to here that argument that you still get to regionals, because coming out of here as a No. 3 you could hit a hammer.”

Well said.

The District 3 brass is planning to send out a ballot to all the school principal’s, athletic director’s and coaches in an effort to come up with the best solution to this issue.

And majority will likely rule.

“We are going to put together a committee that will be made up of the executive director’s and wrestling chairs from each conference,” Schwille said. “We are going to ask everyone how they feel about it.”

The answer is simple: With only 30 Class AA teams in the district, this tournament should be contested over a two-day weekend. No sectionals needed.

Not everyone can wrestle. It isn’t all inclusive, so you shouldn’t draw it out for the sake of mediocrity.

That isn’t what this sport’s about.

Ian McCutcheon Contributed to this article. Flowrestling did the poll.
 
We took a poll of Division I coaches as well as members of the wrestling media to determine who the top ten coaches in the country are.  Though not necessarily an order of the most successful, these are the coaches that do the best jobs with their programs.  No surprise, most of the top programs in the country are represented here.  There also was a poll taken to determine what coaches will need to see improvement in the next few years, or they may be feeling the heat, because of tradition, funding, or recruiting base.  Below are the results of the poll, with small assessments of each selection.Top Ten Coaches in the Country
 
1. Tom Borrelli, Central Michigan (MAC Conference) Athletic Director  Dave Heeke:  Nobody in the country does more with less.  Borrelli tops this list because he has built a national powerhouse out the Central Michigan Chippewas in his 17 year reign.  A year ago, he led the Chippewas to a 7th place finish at the NCAA Tournament, which is astonishing considering that he operates with a fraction of the budget of the Big Ten and Big 12 schools he consistently beats.  He is 188-85-6 in his career at Central Michigan, and has won nine MAC Championships.  But his most impressive accomplishments are beyond the MAC.  Every year there are a host of Chippewas contending for medals and championships, which is really the hallmark of any top program.  No other school in such a small conference has mirrored Central Michigan's success.  He has been able to draw top talent to Central Michigan despite the MAC as a whole being hampered by the old qualifying system.  With qualifiers opening up, even more wrestlers may be drawn to Mount Pleasant.  This is a scary proposition, seeing last year CMU had the nation's top ranked recruiting class.  The one piece missing from Borrelli's impressive resume is a NCAA Team Title, but that could be a very real possibility in the near future.

    Some things to look out for in 2009: His right hand man and first NCAA Champion Casey Cunningham was lured away by Iowa State. Mark Disalvo, a 2x All American (and a classic Central Michigan overachiever) has filled in nicely but who will train the Central Michigan upper weights? Wynn Mikahlik, NCAA Runner-up, and the Sinnott twins are going to have to try and fill the shoes of Casey Cunningham.  This year's version of the Chippewas will be a little wet behind the ears, but they sky is the limit for this young team in the coming years.2. Tom Brands, Iowa (Big Ten) Athletic Director Gary Barta: Its hard to argue with winning. Tom Brands restored the marquee program in college wrestling to prominence by winning the NCAA tournament with Iowa in just his second year as their head coach. It is hard to imagine how things could get any better, but he just might make it happen. Brands brought in a ridiculously talented staff this year with over half the Freestyle Olympians now residing in Iowa City. It is going to be hard to knock off Iowa this year no matter what the polls say. Wrestling is king in Iowa and Tom Brands is making the best of all the tools he has at his disposal. And at Iowa you certainly have tools.  Unlike any almost any other program in the county, Iowa is the golden child of the athletic department, as well as the marquee athletic team in the talent rich state.  But with that comes a serious pressure to win, as seen by Jim Zalesky being replaced after finishing 4th at NCAA's.  Some coaches would struggling to handle those sometimes unrealistic expectations.  But Brands is not most coaches.  Widely regarded as the most intense man in a sport full of intensity, Brands' greatest strength is the faith his wrestlers have in him.  The sign of a great leader is people's willingness to follow, and six kids were willing to give up a year of their college eligibility because they felt Tom Brands was the guy who was going to make them accomplish their goals.  Few higher compliments can be paid to a coach.   That certainly was a legal and public relations mess, but it solidified his place as a guy kids want to wrestle for.  But it's not just the "Iowa Style" kids that Brands has made successful.  One of this best moments as a coach had to be Mark Perry's first NCAA title. Perry was hardly a physical, in your face wrestler, and he and Brands butted heads on more than one occasion.   But Brands was able to get Perry over the hump, snap an eight match losing streak to Johny Hendricks (who is the type of guy I'm sure Brands dreams of coaching) and won his first NCAA title, as well as the first title for one of Brands' pupils.                     Some things to Look Out For in 2009: Loaded.  They could All American at eight weight classes, and they have six wrestlers legitimately competing for a national title. Iowa is the odds-on favorite. 3. Brian Smith, Missouri (Big 12) Athletic Director Mike Alden: Upon graduating from Michigan State, Brian Smith entered the coaching ranks by putting Western High School in Fort Lauderdale Florida on the state map. He slowly moved up the coaching ladder, stopping at Cornell and Syracuse before taking the Missouri job in 1998. Mizzou at the time was perennially in the cellar of the Big 12 and rarely considered for the top 25. Since that time Brian Smith has made the Tigers contenders for a national title. During the 2006-07 season they became the 11th program in the history of college wrestling to hold a #1 ranking, completing an astonishing rebuilding job.  They finished 3rd in 2007 and are currently ranked 4th for the 2008-9 season. Furthermore they are consistenly in the top ten in attendance, a sign of the change in culture in Columbia.  Missouri high school wrestling has also entered the national radar with such a strong college program in the state. The Columbia community is actively involved in the push to bring home a national title. So far, Brian Smith's coaching highlight was when his team stormed the stage in 2007 with two of the top individual awards at the tournament given to Ben Askren (Outstanding Wrestler award) and Matt Pell (most Pins in the least amount of time).  From Big 12 doormat, to National Championship threat, Smith's epic rebuilding job solidifies his spot.            Some things to Look Out For in 2009: Currently ranked fourth, Mizzou has outstanding upper weights. Can they punch through to the next level and produce multiple NCAA Champions.  They have plenty of oppurtunity with Raymond Jordan dropping to 174 and Nick Marable holding the preseason top ranking at 165. Also look out for Georgia native Dorian Henderson at 184 lbs. Showing outside promise is Max Askren who wrestled at the Olympic Trials and Mark Ellis at HWT.  They are one of the teams that has visions of knocking off Iowa.4. Tim Flynn, Edinboro (EIWA) Athletic Director Bruce Baumgartner: Tim Flynn is proof that it's not how much you have but what you do with what you have.  Flynn has produced 20 All Americans and National Champions Josh Koscheck and Gregor Gillespie in his decade long run at Edinboro.  What makes this impressive is that Edinboro is a 7,000 person school in the remote northwest corner of Pennsylvania where wrestling is the only sport that competes at the Division I level.  Part of the success is due to a strong tradition and support from his athletic director, former Olympian Bruce Baumgartner, but any coach that can keep Edinboro on the national radar year in and year out is worth his salt.  Flynn has less than every coach on this list in terms of budget and state of the art facilities, but keeps attracting and developing top talent.  His Fighting Scots have dominated the EWL, finished as high as 8th at the NCAA Tournament, and have done it all without the glitz and glamor of programs like Iowa and Oklahoma State.

        Some things to Look Out For in 2009:  Edinboro made headlines this summer by accepting the transfers of mega-talent Garrett Scott and former NCAA Champion Paul Donahoe, who each were dismissed from their previous schools.  Donahoe will wrestle during the 2nd semester, and joins a lineup with former NCAA Champ and human highlight film Gregor Gillespie, as well as potential All Americans Jarrod King and Chris Honeycutt.  Look for another EWL championship and a high finish at NCAA's for the Fighting Scots.   5. J Robinson, Minnesota (Big 10)  Athletic Director Joel Maturi: J Robinson built Minnesota from the ground up. He left Iowa over an ugly dispute over camp funds and set out to make his mark at a new program. He left coaching altogether, before resurfacing in the Big Ten at Minnesota. He took the team that was an afterthought and made it a perennial powerhouse squad. In his 17 years at Minnesota he is 318-103-3, and has coached 11 wrestlers to National Titles.  His team has also won three national titles and holds more trophies at the University of Minnesota than any other program. In 2001 after several heartbreak finishes at the NCAA championship J Robinson won the Tournament without a single NCAA Champion but an unheard of 10 All Americans. In 2002 the Gophers successfully defended their title. He also added a National Title in 2007.  J Robinson is nothing less than an iconic figure in wrestling and to some extent, in the Twin Cities metro area. However, his real legacy and influence may be made with his intensive camp system he pioneered. His camp blueprint has created one of the major systems of funding for college wrestling, and its alumns include a host of All Americans and National Champions.  He also is one of the great ambassadors of the sport, and his contributions extend far beyond competition. Few market wrestling quite like J Robinson.  He started the Border Brawl event between Iowa and Minnesota that became the biggest dual in the sport. He has done everything under the sun to promote his program and wrestling at University of Minnesota, particularly with his outside the box and controversial thinking. Besides his team making headlines he will often make the news in the Minneapolis area with his outspoken opinions. J Robinson holds more titles than anyone else on this list except for John Smith. He is not invincible, as his Gophers underachieved last season, where they were predicted to run away with a National Championship, but Robinson's squad is looking to turn the page and return to glory this year.            Some things to Look Out For in 2009:   Marty Morgan, J Robinson's right hand man left the staff to coach one of Minnesota's all time best wrestlers Brock Lesnar in MMA. How will the Gophers staff and team respond? The Gophers shouldn't be in title competition right now but they have an extremely young and talented team. They had arguably one the best recruiting classes in the nation last year, even after losing Jake Deitchler to the Olympic Training Center.  And while a team title may be a stretch, they have plenty of wrestlers capable of winning it all.  Jayson Ness was the odds-on favorite at 125, leading the nation in falls and finishing as Big Ten and NCAA runner up.  He moves up to 133 looking to make one more step up the podium.  They also return former NCAA Champ Dustin Schlatter, who is also bumping up a weight class in search of another title.  Another guy to keep your eye on is red-shirt freshman Zach Sanders.  Sanders is the most decorated wrestler in Minnesota state history, and should make an immediate impact in the lineup. 6. John Smith, Oklahoma State (Big 12) Athletic Director Mike Holder: Not many people have five NCAA titles to their coaching names. Then again, not many people are John Smith.  Smith is possibly the most decorated wrestler in American history, and has only expanded his legend in the coaching realm.  Smith took over a program decimated by NCAA sanctions at the tender age of 28.   He won an NCAA title in just his second season, but then Cowboys endured a ten year drought, watching Iowa and Minnesota pass them on the national scene. However, Smith brought the Cowboys back to glory in 2003 with an NCAA title as a mature and seasoned head coach. This was the beginning of a Cowboy four-peat, highlighted by one of the greatest teams in history.  The 2005 installment of the Cowboys crowned five NCAA champions, the most in history.  They also set an NCAA record for points scored and margin of victory. All in all, Smith has crowned 23 National Champions, and no doubt has many more on the way.  Few coaches have the international experience or the ability to surround themselves with championship caliber assistants like Smith.  Any wrestler would be crazy not to want to pick his brain.    

            Some things to Look Out For in 2009:  Obe Blanc, Jamal Parks, Clayton Foster, Brandon Mason and Jared Rosholt are wrestlers to watch for the Cowboys. Blanc is a former All American who transfers to Stillwater from Lock Haven after an Olympic red-shirt year.  Parks is a high school national champ that is fast, entertaining to watch, and in a wide open weight class. Clayton Foster just took 3rd in the Junior Worlds this summer, which some consider the second toughest tournament in the world. Brandon Mason moves down to 165, is vicious on top, and has already been on the podium.  And Jared Rosholt is ranked #1 in the preseason ranking at heavyweight. 
7. Rob Koll, Cornell (Ivy League) Athletic Director Andrew Noel Jr:   Rob Koll has taken the Cornell program to a point where it is a top contender for an NCAA Championship. And unlike any other coach on this list, he has done it without the aid of scholarships or red-shirt years, both not allowed by the Ivy League.  He also has to deal with the rigid academic standards that come with the Ivy League.  But despite these challenges, Koll has built a national power, unseating Lehigh as the dominant force in the EIWA and has put together a team with a realistic shot at a National Title.  He has not only built up the team he has built up the facilities. Through his savy business skills Rob Koll has found a way to build a standalone wrestling facility for his team that ranks as one of the best in the nation.  This will only help him draw blue-chippers to Ithaca.  Facility improvements, a top notch education, and the ability to compete for a winner are the selling points Koll has used to attract some of the nation's best recruiting classes.  He has bucked the common knowledge that great schools can't also have great wrestling, especially if they don't even have scholarships to give.

            Some things to Look Out For in 2009:  Cornell is in the hunt!!! The last NCAA Championship that Cornell won in any sport was in 1977 with a title in Mens Lacrosse, but the Big Red have as good a chance as anybody this season.  They have six former All Americans in their lineup, welcoming back National Champion Jordan Leen, Mack Lewnes, Steve Anceravage, and Mike Grey, and former All Americans returning from injury Troy Nickerson and Josh Arnone.8. Cael Sanderson, Iowa State (Big 12) Athletic Director Jamie Pollard:  When the Ohio State job opened up two years back, it set the wrestling coaching carousal in motion.  Cael Sanderson's name was rumored to be at the top of the Buckeyes short list.  Afraid to repeat their mistake from decades ago when Iowa State let legend Dan Gable flee to Iowa, the Cyclones acted quickly, announcing that Bobby Douglas had resigned at that they were hiring Sanderson effective immediately.  Everybody in wrestling knows of Sanderson's accomplishments.  Just like John Smith, he took over his alma mater at the age of 28.  In his first season, Sanderson was named National Coach of the Year, and the Cyclones were national runners up.  He also coached his first of what will be many national champions, with Trent Paulson claiming the title at 157 pounds.  Sanderson has the ability to put together stellar recruiting classes, as few high school wrestlers are able to say no to possibly the greatest collegiate wrestler in American history.  Iowa State has become a haven for upper weights, as the chance to roll around with Cael is one almost every wrestler dreams of.  

        Some things to Look Out for in 2009:  Some polls have the Cyclones ranked first, ahead of defending champ and archrival Iowa.  This is based on their incredible tournament strength, with potential National Champions Nick Fanthorpe, Nick Gallick, Cyler Sanderson, Jon Reader, Jake Varner, and David Zabriskie in the lineup.  They also match up well with the Hawkeyes in a dual setting.  Hopes are justifiably high in Ames this season.9. Tom Ryan, Ohio State (Big 10) Athletic Director Gene Smith:  For years, Ohio State was seen as a sleeping giant in college wrestling.  With all of the high school talent dripping out of Ohio, it was just a matter of time before the Buckeyes were one of the best teams in the country.  In any college sport, they key to success first and foremost is winning your turf.  This was Ohio State's problem, as top programs across the country came and plucked top talent right out of Ohio.  Not so anymore.  Tom Ryan established himself as one of the premier head coaches in the country by turning Hofstra into one of the best teams in the country, building a program at a school with no tradition, little support, and a conference with few qualifiers.  His success at Hofstra drew the Buckeyes attention, and his hire has paid off nicely.  The Buckeyes finished second in the country last season and crowned two national champions, including Mike Pucillio, who followed Ryan from Hofstra.  Almost more importantly, Ryan has started his domiance in Ohio recruting, signing Tony Jameson and Sean Nemac, as well as securing commitments from prep studs Colin Palmer and Logan Steiber.  If Ryan consistently wins Ohio, there is no reason he won't also win a National Championship.

    Some things to Look Out for in 2009:  With National Champions J Jaggers and Pucillio back, the Buckeyes feel like they can knock off Iowa for a National Title.  They'll need to replace National Runner up J.D. Bergman, but with Lance Palmer back at 149, Nikko Triggas and Reece Humphrey ready to make the leap from good to great, and high impact transfers Dave Rella and Cody Gardner making their debut, the Buckeyes will be right back in the thick of things. 10. Pat Santoro, Lehigh (EIWA) Athletic Director Joe Sterrett: Lehigh has entrusted former assistant Pat Santoro to return their program to glory after a rough 2007-08 season.  Santoro's rebuilding job seems to be ahead of schedule after the season's opening weekend where he defeated his former team, the 17th ranked Maryland Terripans.  Santoro had previously been the coach at Maryland for five seasons, overseeing one of the best turnarounds in any NCAA sport.  Maryland was a doormat in the ACC, operated with virtually no scholarships, and the program was at a crossroads.  Rather than drop the program, Maryland hired Santoro away from Lehigh and started the Fear the Turtle program, which led to the full funding of all their men's sports.  Blessed with the full compliment of scholarships, Santoro built a program on the verge of being a national power.  Last year, the Terps finished 17th at NCAA's, and Hudson Taylor was the first Terp All American in over a decade.  Both of these accomplishments seemed unheard of when Santoro took the job.  Lehigh hired him away from Maryland in part because he has led to Lehigh's decline.  Maryland's current roster looks like a Lehigh roster during their glory run in the early 2000s.  He has stolen kids away from Pennsylvania, specifically the Lehigh Valley, and Blair Academy, and those important pipelines have been a key to Maryland's resurgence.  If he can bring those ties with him to Lehigh, watch out.  

    Some things to Look Out for in 2009:  Lehigh's squad already looks improved after one dual.  Four wrestlers made their debut, with John McDonald and Zach Rey winning.  The key for Lehigh's tournament strength will be the performance of David Craig, the stud in their lineup.  Craig was the nation's top recruit and made the Round of 12 as a true freshman.  But his sophomore campaign was a bumpy one, and he spent the second semester on the bench due to academic issues.  If everything is back in order, Craig should contend to All American, and be the first step in Santoro's rebuilding project at Lehigh.    
Ten Coaches Who Need to Win

1. Tom Minkel (Michigan State): Once upon a time, Michigan State was one of the flagship programs of the Big Ten.  They are one of only seven different schools to win a National Championship since 1960.  But last season, the Spartans qualified just one wrestler for the NCAA Tournament. Seeing that the Big Ten received over 70 qualifiers, this number is particularly damning.  Michigan and Central Michigan have consistently been beating them to top level in-state kids, and although Michigan State has had stars in the past few years, they have struggled to develop a deep lineup.  This has the natives restless.  Tom Minkel needs a breakout year in a big way. His contract is winding down and there certainly are candidates eyeing this potential opening.

2. Thom Ortiz (Arizona State): Like Michigan State, Arizona State is one of the seven schools to win a title since 1960. Also like Michigan State, they no longer are a perennial top five team. However, unlike the Spartans, the consequences have been dire in Tempe.  The Sun Devils, once the premier program in the Pac-10, barely survived their athletic department's chopping block after last season. A few powerful alumni donated a boatload of money, and will expect a return on their investment. Therefore, Arizona State's struggles at the NCAA Tournament need to end soon. Anthony Robles will certainly be an impact wrestler this season, but more are necessary to restore this team to prominance.

3. Carl Adams (Boston University): There are number of disadvantages that Carl Adams has at Boston University. The first is that Massachusetts hardly provides him with a fertile recruiting base. Second, he is the third fiddle of winter sports at BU, where hockey is the undisputed king, and basketball is among the top programs in the American East. But he does have an advantage that many coaches across the county, including some in much bigger conferences do not: a full compliment of scholarships. In a day in age where so few schools have the allotted 9.9, BU needs to be able to produce more than one All American every 20 years. Mike Roberts certainly had a good year last season, and Hunter Meys was a big recruit, but these need to be the exception, not the rule, if BU wants to be a more national player, and if the balance of power will start to swing from the midwest to the east.

4. C.D. Mock (North Carolina): C.D. Mock certainly has recruited well, but does not have the expected national accomplishments to show for it in his tenure at North Carolina. He has had success in the ACC, winning a pair of conference titles, but has not been able to translate it into significant national success, with only Evan Sola attaining All American status under Mock. He has recruited Pennsylvania especially well, but the slew of highly touted wrestlers from the Keystone State have underachieved. Some in the Tar Heel camp fear that Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina State have passed UNC in the race for the ACC. In an ever improving conference, it's important that Mock and the Tar Heels keep up.

5. Rocky Bonomo (Lock Haven): Years ago, it was Lock Haven that was the dominant small program in Pennsylvania. Like Edinboro, Lock Haven is a small Division II school competing at the Division I level in wrestling. They too have a strong tradition of nationally competitive teams, with studs like Cary Kolat and Jamarr Billman both wrestling here.  The expectation of many in Pennsylvania is that they should still be strong. However, Pennsylvania talent has increasingly gone to Penn State, Lehigh, and Edinboro when they stay in state. There also has been a huge flock of talent leaving the state, particularly to go to the ACC.  This is partly responsible for that conference's resurgence, but also for the regression of schools like Lock Haven, East Stroudsburg, and Clarion. If Bonomo is going to turn the program around, he is going to need to start keeping some of these kids in state.

6. Jack Spates (Oklahoma): You might wonder what a guy who has had more top five finishes than 90% of the coaches on this list is doing on the hot seat. But a 39th place finish at last years nationals will put the heat on for any Oklahoma sport. Part of Jack Spates ailments may be contributed to Oklahoma's high school wrestling settling into the second tier nationally.  Clearly, there is work to do here.  They've started by revamping the coaching staff, the backbone of any successful program, as well as their facilities.  Jack Spates has recently raised the money and built a state of the art facility that has upped the ante on the the spending war between programs. Furthermore Jack Spates brought in Michael Lightner, former 4x All American and NCAA Champ, plus they have renovated their wrestling room, which gives them an advantage both functionally as well as the "wow" factor for recruits.  But with these new tools in place, success will be the expectation.  In early season competition at the Brockport Open the Sooners look stronger, knocking off Edinboro, Central Michigan and Kent State, all ranked opponents. With Oklahoma's tradition and history, the facilities they have, and the support from the Administration they need to be knocking on the door to the top ten and be moving towards the top five for next year.

 
7. Jim Beichner (Buffalo): Coach Beichner has accomplished some pretty phenominal things at the University of Buffalo.  He took over a program in the late 1990s that had won six matches combined in the four years before he was hired.  In his first five years, Beichner's teams had won 50 matches.  He's coached an All American in Kyle Cerminara, and revived a lifeless program.  Now it is time for Buffalo to take the next step.  They are one of the MAC's fully funded programs, and as we've seen earlier in this list, it is possible to be a national caliber team in that conference, just ask Tom Borrelli.  Tom Ryan built Hofstra's program around New York kids, for whom Buffalo is the only other option in the state.  Buffalo is also painfully close to both western Pennsylvania and Cleveland, two wrestling hotbeds.  If Coach Beichner can tap into these advantages, his program could be a sleeping giant.
 
8. Randy Stottlemeyer (Pittsburgh): Coach Stottlemeyer is an institution at Pitt.  He is one of the longest tenured coaches in the country, approaching his 30th year as head coach.  But it is tough to look at Pitt's program and think of the potential.  Located in the heart of wrestling country, Pitt has never struggled to bring in top notch talent.  But Pitt has had a problem getting over the hump and becoming the national program that they should be.  Keith Gavin the last two seasons certainly was a great story, but National Champions are too few and far between at this school.  This is a top 10 team waiting to happen, but they've even slipped in dominance in their own conference, watching Edinboro pass them in the last few years.  There are plenty of good kids at Pitt, most notably red-shirt freshman Tyler Nauman, but it's time for Pitt to be among the best programs in the country.   
 
9 Brad Penrith (University of Northern Iowa): Northern Iowa has always been the little brother of Iowa college wrestling.  It is tough operating in the shadow of Iowa and Iowa State, but the Northern Iowa advantage is in it is in Iowa.  I've alluded to Pennsylvania and Ohio as being the two strongest states in the country, but Iowa is the most wrestling crazy.  Traditionally, Northern Iowa has been very strong, but Coach Penrith's career record of 70-57 is underwhelming.  On one hand, I give him credit for going out and scheduling tough opponents, but they also compete in the Western Region, and their conference schedule is hardly like wrestling in the Big Ten.  Northern Iowa has posed as a major program for a while, but needs the consistency to actually be one. 
 
10. Dave Amato (Brown University): There is a deep divide in the Ivy League.  Cornell, Penn, and Harvard have clearly pulled away as the class of the league, leaving Columbia, Princeton, and Brown a step behind.  But Columbia has had a two time All American, Matt Palmer, in the recent past, and Princeton has just hired Chris Ayers, a young member of the Pat Santoro coaching tree.  Amato has been at Brown for twenty five years, but has only produced two All Americans, none since 1998.  Brown also has only had two winning seasons in the last decade.  They are hampered by a lack of scholarships in a major conference, which makes this one of the more difficult jobs in the country.  But the results have not been there.
 

MY FIRST CIVIL WAR
December 8, 2007

I just got back home to Corvallis, Oregon from my first ever Civil War Dual Meet. The match took place in the nostalgic McArthur Court, on the campus of the University Oregon. Oregon State, the team I coach for, won the dual 23-14.

However, this dual was bitter sweet. I have heard about the Oregon State - Oregon rivalry since I first began discussing the possible coaching position with Jim Zalesky. Everyone told me how intense the rivalry was and how deep the loyalties ran. So many spoke of how hard the athletes compete, and how intensely the fans cheer. Those on both sides have expressed how intimately the match-up between the universities, depsite athletic contest, effects them. Tonight I saw a glimpse of that.

The sad thing is, despite this rivalry being one of the most heated in collegiate sports, it is coming to an end. Yes, that is right the third longest wrestling rivalry at the division one level just experienced its last contest in McArthur Court. That is because, despite large financial donations form several prominent boosters in recent history (including the $100 milion given by Phile Night of Nike) wrestling is being dropped by University of Oregon Athletics. McArthur Court, the nostalgic, timeless, and historic venue is being demolished. The new, $200 plus million Arena will not house wrestling, or its contests. Instead, baseball and competitive cheer is being added by the University of Oregon Athletic Department. This is an Athletic Department headed by a man named Pat Kilkenny, who does not have an undergraduate degree. Yes, every person he is in charge of has one. Yes, every athelete at the University of Oregon is required to work towards the completion of one. Yet, he does not. How can a leader expect something from his followers that they themselves do not posses? Unfortunatley, I can not answer that question, despite my own undergraduate degree with honors, it simply dumbfounds me.

So when you really examine the situation, it should not suprise you that this is happening at such a prominent and progressive instutuion like the University of Oregon. An instituion, that has lead the way in academic, athletic, and social endeavors should not be regressing, or even staying stagnant. It is though, and it is due to an ineptness of leadership. Maybe I should not say that, maybe it is unprofessional? However, this is America and freedom of speech is still protected in my constitutional rights. This leadership, has never participated at the division one level in athletics, graduated with a four year degree, or had the experience of running the day to day operations of a major athletic department at a prominent university.

Sure, I may be on a soap box right now, but it kills me to see a sport that has given me so much continue to suffer due to others short-sightedness and lack of understnading. A sport that has allowed me to travel the world, make life-long friends, receive a college education, spend time with my family, find employment, etc., etc., etc. I could go on forever, and anyone who has been involved in the sport could also do so. Wrestling is the oldest sport known to man, an original olympic event, and the fastest growing high school sport in much of the nation. However, opportunities at the collegiate level are continuing to disappear. Many claim title IX, and its constraints for this. I do not. I blame those not doing everything they can to promote our great sport and save our programs. I blame those that are using title IX inappropriatley. I blame those who have the ability to step in when they can and make a difference and do not.

When will this stop? When will our sport fight back? That is what wrestling is; a controlled fight. Universities like that of Oregon, that are progressive and have substantial financial backing must lead the way. They must continue to be leaders and innovators. Will they do the right thing? Will Mr. Kilkenny fix the biggest mistake he may ever make? Will the University of Oregon step in and correct their mistake? I hope so, maybe if they do and are lead by the new athletic director (the one with no degree) in this correction, others will follow. My fear is that if they do not our great sport may continue to regress and lose opportunties. This is simply unacceptable.

So I guess this really goes out to those at the University of Oregon, those with the ability to truly step in and make a difference, those with the power to reverse the decision and do what is right; Save Oregon Wrestling!!!! I hope this is not my last trip to Eugene to experience the great rivalry known as the "Civil War."

Sacred Heart University is seeking applications for the part-time position of Head Wrestling Coach for its Division I wrestling program (associate member of the Colonial Athletic Association). The successful candidate will be responsible for all aspects of the wrestling program which includes practice/skill development, scheduling, recruitment, academic advisement and other day-to-day administrative tasks within the program. Qualifications: Bachelor?s degree required, successful collegiate level coaching experience preferred.

If interested, please send your cover letter, resume and references to:
Sacred Heart University,
c/o Mike Guastelle,
Sr. Associate Athletic Director,
5151 Park Avenue
Fairfield, CT 06825
or via email at guastellem@sacredheart.edu

Sacred Heart University is a four-year co-educational, private Catholic university located 55 miles north of New York City in Fairfield, Connecticut. Sacred Heart's four colleges provide a high quality education for over 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The University is the third largest and fastest growing Catholic university in the Northeast. Sacred Heart possesses a proud athletics tradition and, as a member of the NCAA DI Northeast Conference, fields 32 varsity teams involving over 800 student-athletes.

Columbia, Mo. - Missouri Director of Athletics Mike Alden announced today that wrestling Head Coach Brian Smith has signed a five-year contract that will have him leading the Tigers through the year 2012.

"We're very pleased to be able to do this for Coach Smith and the Tiger wrestling program," Alden said. "Securing Brian in this way helps ensure the stability of the program and it is undoubtedly a win-win situation for everyone involved. The job that Brian and his staff have done to build this into one of the nation's premier programs has been remarkable to watch, and he's been such an outstanding representative of the University of Missouri over the years. This is a great day for Mizzou."

Coming off of a season in which the Tigers recorded a program-high third place finish at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships and tied the previous Missouri wrestling best Big 12 finish at second, Smith will enter his 10th season with the Tigers this coming fall. In dual competition, Smith earned his 100th Missouri career win Dec. 9, 2006, with a 31-9 victory over then-No. 11 Central Michigan. Smith is 110-55-1 in his nine years at Missouri and owns the highest Tiger wrestling coach winning percentage at 66 percent.

"When I came to Missouri I had a vision of where I wanted to take the wrestling program," Smith said. "We are getting closer but there is still more work to be done and goals to accomplish. Contrary to the rumors that had me leaving Missouri, I have had no reason to want to leave the University and have had every reason to stay here. Most importantly, my family and I love the Columbia and the University communities. My wife teaches at the same school all three of my children attend and we've been involved in trying to bring a new Catholic High School to Columbia and that is going to happen. Another reason this is one of the best coaching jobs in the country is because of the tremendous support given by the wrestling alumni, boosters and fans. My administrators, Mike Alden and Sarah Reesman have shown continued support for the program since I began my career here in 1998. My goal and theirs is to win a national championship."

Since Smith's inaugural season, the Tigers have continued to improve both on the mat and in the classroom. Missouri crowned its first wrestling Big 12 Champion in 2003 with Tyron Woodley (Ferguson, Mo.) and its first wrestling National Champion last season in Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.), a feat he repeated in 2007. A total of eight wrestlers have earned 15 All-America honors with seven earning nine Big 12 titles. Askren, Missouri's 174 pounder, has received national recognition as a two-time Dan Hodge Trophy Award recipient, wrestling's equivalent to the Heisman, as well as multiple tournament honors and was named the 2006 NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler.

"This was a very important deal for us to complete. Brian's stock has risen tremendously over the past few years and we wanted to recognize him for all the wonderful things he and his staff and student-athletes have accomplished," Senior Associate Athletic Director Reesman said. "There is no one I would rather have running this program. Brian's expectations mirror the department's and institution's in every aspect, from athletics to academics to community service. This program is one in which the entire Mizzou community may take great pride."