GLEN ALLEN, Va. (April 26, 2010) - Former George Mason wrestling head coach Mike Moyer was recently honored with the Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award through the Virginia Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Moyer, who coached the Patriots for a total of 10 seasons, received the award in a ceremony at The Wyndham Virginia Crossings Hotel and Conference Center in Glen Allen, Va.

The Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award is given in recognition of years of dedication to the development of leadership and citizenship in young people through the sport of wrestling. Each nominee must have 20 years of service to the sport to be considered.

In 1985, Moyer began his 10-year coaching career at George Mason University. During that time, Moyer advanced 27 wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Three of those wrestlers went on to earn All-America honors, with one of them, John Curtis, earning the honor twice. The Patriots won two Colonial Athletic Association Championships under the leadership of Moyer, who ended his career with an overall record of 126-29-2. His 126 wins are the most in program history.

In 1995, Moyer transitioned from coaching to fundraising at George Mason, where he served as the Executive Director of the Patriot Club until 1999. During this time, he also served as the Chairman of the NCAA Wrestling Committee from 1997 to 1999. He continued on with his fundraising background when he became the Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) in 1999, a position that he holds to this day.

Since taking over as the Executive Director of the NWCA in 1999, he has helped the NWCA grow as a non-profit organization that is in place to serve the sport of amateur and collegiate wrestling. In his time as Executive Director, Moyer has grown the membership from 1,700 to 10,000 members and the gross revenue from $100,000 to $1.4 million dollars annually. The NWCA has helped to establish 69 new intercollegiate wrestling programs over the past decade. Moyer also serves on the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and USA Wrestling Boards.
George Mason's Tovuujav Named Second-Team VaSID All-State at 174 Pounds

Tovuujav Named Second-Team VaSID All-State at 174 Pounds
Sophomore led the Patriots with 30 wins during the 2009-10 season

FERRUM, Va. (April 23, 2010) - Sophomore Mendbagana Tovuujav was named Second-Team VaSID All-State at 174 pounds for his performance during the 2009-10 wrestling season. The organization announced its first and second teams, as well as its major award winners, on Friday afternoon.

Tovuujav qualified for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships for the second consecutive season in 2009-10. The Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia native entered the tournament as the 12th seed at 174 pounds. He wrapped up the season with a 30-10 overall record with eight falls, three technical falls and three major decisions.

Tovuujav placed at four tournaments during his sophomore season. After winning the CAA title during his freshman season, Tovuujav placed second at the conference tournament as a sophomore. He finished the season ranked 12th in the nation in the final InterMat poll.

Chris Henrich (174 pounds) was named the VaSID Wrestler of the Year. Virginia Tech's Brian Stephens (149 pounds) was named the Rookie of the Year and Virginia's Steve Garland won Coach of the Year honors.
George Mason Wrestling Heads to Rider University for the CAA Championships

The conference championships will determine which wrestlers move on to the NCAA Tournament

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. (March 4, 2010) - The George Mason wrestling team travels to Lawrenceville, N.J. this weekend to take part in the CAA Championships at Rider University's Alumni Gymnasium. The tournament begins on March 5 and concludes the following day.

At 174 pounds, the Patriots return defending CAA Champion Mendbagana Tovuujav. The sophomore is currently ranked 12th in the nation. He will face tough competition for the title in Binghamton's Josh Patterson, who is ranked 14th in the nation.

In addition to Tovuujav, Mason returns a pair of placewinners in junior Frankie McLaughlin and senior Brian Wright. McLaughlin finished fourth at 157 pounds last year but will wrestle at the 165-pound weight class this season. Wright placed fourth two years ago and third last year at 125 pounds. Defending CAA Champion Cayle Byers will not compete at the 197-pound weight class as he is sitting out the season with a foot injury.

Old Dominion (10-5-1, 4-0-1 CAA) is ranked 24th in the nation and is the pre-tournament favorite. Rider (15-6, 6-1 CAA), Binghamton (14-7-2, 4-1-2 CAA), Drexel (9-13, 3-4 CAA) and Hofstra (6-12-2, 4-3 CAA) will also compete at the conference tournament. George Mason (3-10-1, 1-4-1 CAA) was the last CAA team to win a conference title (2001) before Hofstra's eight-year run. Boston University (4-14-1, 2-5 CAA) and Sacred Heart (2-19, 0-6 CAA) complete the eight-team field.

The quarterfinals begin Friday at 1 p.m. The consolations are at 4 p.m. and the semifinals begin at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the second round of consolations begin at 10 a.m. and the consolations and finals begin at 1 p.m.

Eight former CAA champions will be competing this weekend, and a total of 21 wrestlers who have finished in the top four in past CAA Championships will be competing.
George Mason Wrestling Falls to Liberty on Senior Night, 30-10

Widener and Wright honored prior to the start of the match

FAIRFAX, Va. (February 18, 2010) - George Mason lost its final dual meet of the 2009-10 wrestling season to Liberty by a final score of 30-10 on Thursday evening at the RAC. Both Brian Wright and Mendbagana Tovuujav won individual matches for the Patriots.

Wrestling in front of the home crowd for the final time in his career, Wright began the dual meet as he has so many times throughout his career - with a Patriot victory. Leading 4-0 entering the third period against Liberty's Jonathan Childress, Wright took control in the final stanza, earning a two-point reversal and a three-point near fall. He tacked on his final point by way of a riding time advantage of 2:32.

After losses at the next five weight classes, sophomore Mendbagana Tovuujav snapped the Patriots' drought with a quick pin at 174 pounds. Tovuujav needed only 31 seconds to win by fall against Liberty sophomore Brad Clark.

Tovuujav, the reigning Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Week, has won 12 consecutive matches. The native of Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia boasts a 28-7 overall record this season and is currently ranked 11th by WrestlingReport.com and 12th by InterMat.

Seniors Bill Widener and Wright were both recognized for their contributions to the Patriot wrestling program in a ceremony held prior to the start of the dual meet. Widener, who has wrestled at three different weight classes during his career at Mason, won a career-high 18 matches during the 2007-08 season. Wright, a 125-pounder throughout his collegiate career, has placed at the CAA Championships the past two seasons and has won 68 matches during his career, which ranks in the top-25 in school history.

The Patriots will take the next two weeks to prepare for the CAA Wrestling Championships, scheduled for March 5-6 at Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J.

Liberty 30 George Mason 10
125: Brian Wright (Mason) major dec. Jonathan Childress (Liberty), 10-0
133: Joe Pantaleo (Liberty) dec. Denny Herndon (Mason), 6-0
141: T.J. Mitchell (Liberty) wins by forf.
149: Frankie Gayeski (Liberty) dec. Brandon Bucher (Mason), 9-2
157: Shaun Smith (Liberty) dec. Aaron Keeton (Mason), 7-6
165: Chad Porter (Liberty) fall Frankie McLaughlin (Mason), 2:49
174: Mendbagana Tovuujav (Mason) fall Brad Clark (Liberty), 0:31
184: Nick Knowles (Liberty) dec. Greg Scott (Mason), 8-6
197: Jacoby Johnson (Liberty) dec. Bill Widener (Mason), 7-5
285: Josh Pelletier (Liberty) dec. Adam Barnette (Mason), 4-1
George Mason Wrestling Ties Binghamton, 22-22

Tovuujav beats Patterson in the final bout to tie the match

VESTAL, N.Y. (February 14, 2010) - George Mason tied Binghamton 22-22 in the Patriots' final Colonial Athletic Association dual meet of the 2009-10 season at East Gym in Vestal, N.Y. With George Mason trailing by three team points heading into the final bout at 174 pounds, No. 19 Mendbagana Tovuujav scored a 7-6 decision over No. 12 Josh Patterson to tie the team score.

The win over Patterson was Tovuujav's 11th consecutive victory. Tovuujav, who leads the Patriots in wins with 27 this season, defeated the 12th and 14th ranked wrestlers in the country in a span of two days this weekend.

Including Tovuujav's victory, Mason won five matches in the dual meet. Senior Bill Widener won by fall over Mike McKeever in 5:55 at 197 pounds. Sophomore Denny Herndon also won by fall, pinning Tyler Malmberg in 3:17 at 133 pounds.

At 125 pounds, senior Brian Wright took a close 1-0 decision over Binghamton's James Inghram. Junior Brandon Bucher earned a 9-1 major decision victory over Anthony Jerome at 149 pounds.

With today's tie, the Patriots' record stands at 3-9-1 overall and 1-4-1 in CAA meets. Binghamton's record stands at 14-6-2 and 4-1-2 against conference opponents.

George Mason wraps up its 2009-10 dual meet schedule on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. against Liberty at the RAC Gym. The Patriots' senior class will be honored prior to the start of the dual meet.

George Mason 22 Binghamton 22
184: Nate Schiedel (BU) dec. Andrew Rock (Mason), 10-4
197: Bill Widener (Mason) fall Mike McKeever (BU), 5:55
285: Corey Waite (BU) fall Adam Barnette (Mason), 4:59
125: Brian Wright (Mason) dec. James Inghram (BU), 1-0
133: Denny Herndon (Mason) fall Tyler Malmberg (BU), 3:17
141: Anwar Goeres (BU) major dec. Jaaziah Bethea (Mason), 17-7
149: Brandon Bucher (Mason) major dec. Anthony Jerome (BU), 9-1
157: Justin Lister (BU) dec. Aaron Keeton (Mason), 7-2
165: Matt Kaylor (BU) wins by forfeit
174: Mendbagana Tovuujav (Mason) dec. Josh Patterson (BU), 7-6
George Mason Wrestling Falls to Bucknell, 28-12

Wright, Bethea and Tovuujav all earn victories in the dual meet

FAIRFAX, Va. (February 12, 2010) - George Mason held an early 9-3 lead in the team scoring but was unable to hold on for the win, falling to Bucknell by a final score of 28-12 in a nonconference dual meet on Friday evening at the RAC Gym. Senior Brian Wright, freshman Jaaziah Bethea and sophomore Mendbagana Tovuujav all earned victories in the dual.

Tovuujav, ranked 19th in the nation by InterMat and WrestlingReport.com, earned another victory over a ranked wrestler at the 174-pound weight class, winning a 3-1 decision over senior Shane Riccio. Riccio entered the match ranked 14th in the country by InterMat.

After a scoreless first period, Tovuujav struck first when he took a 1-0 lead following a second-period escape. After Riccio tied the score with an escape in the third period, Tovuujav took the lead with a late takedown and held on for a 3-1 victory. Tovuujav leads the Patriots in wins this season with a total of 26.

At 141 pounds, Bethea fell behind early but stormed back for the win. After falling behind 9-4 in the second period, Bethea outscored Bucknell's John Regan 7-1 to close the period to take a slim 11-10 lead into the start of the third period. Bethea scored two takedowns in the final period and held Regan to two escape points to take a 15-13 victory. Regan scored his final point by way of a riding time advantage of more than a minute.

George Mason, with a 3-9 overall record this season, has lost its last five dual meets. Bucknell, winners of six of their past seven dual meets, improved to 11-6 on the season.

Mason wrestles again on Sunday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. at Binghamton. Sunday's contest will be Mason's final dual meet of the season against a CAA opponent.

Bucknell 28 George Mason 12
125: Brian Wright (Mason) wins by forf.
133: David Marble (Bucknell) dec. Denny Herndon (Mason), 8-1
141: Jaaziah Bethea (Mason) dec. John Regan (Bucknell), 15-13
149: Kevin LeValley (Bucknell) dec. Brandon Bucher (Mason), 5-0
157: Brantley Hooks (Bucknell) major dec. Aaron Keeton (Mason), 12-4
165: Andy Rendos (Bucknell) wins by forf.
174: Mendbagana Tovuujav (Mason) dec. Shane Riccio (Bucknell), 3-1
184: Rob Waltko (Bucknell) major dec. Greg Scott (Mason), 14-3
197: Jay Hahn (Bucknell) tech. fall Mike Peterson (Mason), 20-4 (6:24)
285: Joe McMullan (Bucknell) dec. Adam Barnette (Mason), 8-1
Tovuujav Wins by Fall in George Mason Wrestling's Loss to No. 11 Maryland

Patriot sophomore pins Owen Smith in 4:30

FAIRFAX, Va. (January 29, 2010) - Sophomore Mendbagana Tovuujav continued his recent hot streak by winning his ninth consecutive match on Friday evening against Maryland at the RAC Gym. Despite Tovuujav's victory, the Patriots were unable to overcome the 11th-ranked Terrapins, losing by a final score of 35-6.

After falling behind 21-0 in the team scoring, Tovuujav gave Mason six team points with a fall in 4:30 against Maryland sophomore Owen Smith at 174 pounds. The win was Tovuujav's team-high 25th of the year. The Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia native also leads the team with seven falls.

The Patriots were unable to turn the momentum from Tovuujav's victory into wins in the subsequent matches as they lost each of the final three contests. With the loss, the Patriots' record stands at 3-8 on the season. Maryland improves to 16-4 on the season.

The George Mason wrestling team will hit the road for its next dual meet. The Patriots wrestle at No. 19 Virginia on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 4 p.m. in Charlottesville, Va.

Maryland 35 George Mason 6
125: Pat Strizki (Maryland) dec. Brian Wright (Mason), 8-4
133: Steve Bell (Maryland) major dec. Denny Herndon (Mason), 12-4
141: Matt Bogusz (Maryland) major dec. Jaaziah Bethea (Mason), 12-3
149: Jon Kohler (Maryland) dec. Brandon Bucher (Mason), 11-9
157: Kyle John (Maryland) dec. Aaron Keeton (Mason), 11-5
165: Josh Asper (Maryland) major dec. Ty Knepp (Mason), 15-4
174: Mendbagana Tovuujav (Mason) fall Owen Smith (Maryland), 4:30
184: Corey Peltier (Maryland) dec. Andrew Rock (Mason), 10-3
197: Hudson Taylor (Maryland) wins by forf.
285: Pat Gilmore (Maryland) tech. fall Hunter Manspile (Mason), 15-0 (5:58)
George Mason's Tovuujav Upsets the 10th-Ranked Wrestler in the Country

Beats Missouri's Dorian Henderson by major decision

PHILADELPHIA (January 23, 2010) - Sophomore Mendbagana Tovuujav beat the 10th-ranked wrestler in the nation by major decision on Saturday evening at the Daskalaskis Athletic Center in Philadelphia, Pa. Despite the successful showing by Tovuujav, the Patriots were unable to win either of their duals against Drexel and Missouri.

Mason had a tough time against Missouri, the 17th-ranked team in the country in the latest InterMat poll. The Patriots trailed the Tigers 18-3 heading into the 174-pound bout featuring Tovuujav and Dorian Henderson, the 10th-ranked wrestler in the nation according to the latest InterMat poll. Tovuujav, the 24th-ranked wrestler in the country according to WrestlingReport.com, defeated Henderson in dominant fashion, scoring a 13-5 major decision victory. Following Tovuujav's win, Mason lost the final three matches to fall by a final score of 34-7.

Mason opened the day with a CAA dual meet against Drexel. Despite jumping out to an early lead after Brian Wright scored a technical fall at 125 pounds, Mason was unable to continue its winning ways. After winning two of the first three matches, the Patriots won only one of the final seven matches to drop the dual by a final score of 24-11. The win was the 500th career win for Drexel head coach Jack Childs.

The Patriots record now stands at 3-7 overall and 1-4 in conference dual meets. Mason wrestles again on Friday, Jan. 29 against Maryland. The dual is slated to begin at 7 p.m. at the RAC Gym.

Drexel 24 George Mason 11
125: Brian Wright (Mason) tech. fall Yi-Ming Law (Drexel), 16-0
133: Steve Mytych (Drexel) fall Zachory Huxford (Mason), 1:17
141: Jaaziah Bethea (Mason) dec. Shane Fenningham (Drexel), 10-8
149: Brett McCurdy (Drexel) dec. Brandon Bucher (Mason), 5-2
157: Joe Booth (Drexel) dec. Aaron Keeton (Mason), 10-4
165: Alex Rinaldi (Drexel) dec. Ty Knepp (Mason), 6-0
174: Mendbagana Tovuujav (Mason) dec. Dave Woodall (Drexel), 12-6
184: Shawn Fausey (Drexel) dec. Andrew Rock (Mason), 12-6
197: Justin Wieller (Drexel) dec. Bill Widener (Mason), 2-0
HWT: Jack Callender (Drexel) dec. Adam Barnette (Mason), 7-2

Missouri 34 George Mason 7
125: Brian Wright (Mason) dec. Eric Wilson (Missouri), 7-1
133: Brad Wisdom (Missouri) major dec. Zachory Huxford (Mason), 12-3
141: Todd Schavrein (Missouri) dec. Jaaziah Bethea (Mason), 14-7
149: Scott O'Donnell (Missouri) major dec. Brandon Bucher (Mason), 9-1
157: Patrick Wright (Missouri) dec. Aaron Keeton (Mason), 6-2
165: Nicholas Marable (Missouri) tech. fall Ty Knepp (Mason), 18-3
174: Mendbagana Tovuujav (Mason) major dec. Dorian Henderson, 13-5
184: Todd Porter (Missouri) major dec. Andrew Rock (Mason), 13-5
197: Brent Haynes (Missouri) wins by forf.
HWT: Mark Ellis (Missouri) fall Adam Barnette (Mason), 0:49
Mason Wrestling Dominant in First Dual Meet at the RAC

Patriots beat VMI by a final score of 25-9

FAIRFAX, Va. (January 7, 2009) - George Mason won seven matches on its way to a 25-9 win against VMI in dual action on Thursday evening at the RAC. The dominating win marked the Patriots first-ever dual wrestling meet at the new facility.

In the opening match of the evening at 125 pounds, George Mason senior Brian Wright fell behind early but closed with a flurry of points to take a 6-1 decision. After choosing the down position to start the third period, Wright immediately earned an escape point to tie the score at one. He closed the period with a takedown for two points and a three-point near fall as time expired to account for the final score.

At 133 pounds, freshman Zachory Huxford added to the Patriots lead in the team scoring with a 4-1 decision over VMI's Luke Todd. A takedown in the first period and a two-point near fall in the third accounted for Huxford's point total in the match.

Mason lost its first match of the night at 141 pounds when freshman Jaaziah Bethea took a 5-2 loss against David Yost. Bethea got on the board first with a takedown but was unable to score again in the match.

The Patriots got back on track in their next match at 149 pounds. Junior Brandon Bucher scored a takedown in the first period and added an escape point in the second and a point for riding time to close the match. Bucher held VMI's Michael Long to two escapes to take a 4-2 decision and put Mason up 9-3 in the team scoring.

Mason added to its lead in the team scoring in the next match when junior Aaron Keeton took a four-point decision over Joe Munno at 157 pounds. Leading 12-3, the Patriots tacked on four more team points when junior Frankie McLaughlin IV won by major decision against Keydet sophomore Matt Brock at 165 pounds. McLaughlin took control of the match from the onset with five takedowns in the first two periods on his way to a 14-4 win.

The Patriots won their fourth consecutive match of the dual when sophomore Mendbagana Tovuujav, currently ranked 23rd in the nation by WrestlingReport.com, took an 11-4 win over VMI freshman Evan Dill. Tovuujav scored eight points in the first period to jump out to an early lead.

Mason had its four-match winning streak snapped at 184 pounds when junior Jimmy Webb lost a 3-1 decision to the Keydets' Andrew Szymborski. Szymborski scored a takedown in the first period and added an escape in the third for the win.

The Patriots returned to the win column in the next match when Bill Widener pinned Vinnie Gallo with 26 seconds remaining in the third period. The fall was Widener's fourth of the season, which ranks second on the team behind Tovuujav's five. Mason sophomore Hunter Manspile closed the match with a loss to Josh Wine at the heavyweight class for a final score of 25-9 in favor of George Mason.

Mason continues its 2009-10 dual schedule with a meet at Duquesne on Saturday, Jan. 9 in Pittsburgh, Pa. The dual begins at 7:30 p.m.

George Mason 25 VMI 9
125 - Brian Wright (Mason) dec. John Pope (VMI), 6-1 (3-0)
133 - Zachory Huxford (Mason) dec. Luke Todd (VMI), 4-1 (6-0)
141 - David Yost (VMI) dec. Jaaziah Bethea (Mason), 5-2 (6-3)
149 - Brandon Bucher (Mason) dec. Michael Long (VMI), 4-2 (9-3)
157 - Aaron Keeton (Mason) dec. Joe Munno (VMI), 8-4 (12-3)
165 - Frankie McLaughlin IV (Mason) major dec. Matt Brock (VMI), 14-4 (16-3)
174 - Mendbagana Tovuujav (Mason) dec. Evan Dill (VMI), 11-4 (19-3)
184 - Andrew Szymborski (VMI) dec. Jimmy Webb (Mason), 3-1 (19-6)
197 - Bill Widener (Mason) fall Vinnie Gallo (VMI), 6:34 (25-6)
285 - Josh Wine (VMI) dec. Hunter Manspile (Mason), 6-0 (25-9)
Mason Wrestling Drops a Pair of Duals at the Columbia Tri-Meet

Patriots fall to host Columbia 27-11 and No. 3 Ohio State 46-0

NEW YORK (January 3, 2010) - After beginning the 2009-10 season with five consecutive tournaments, George Mason hit the road for its first dual action of the season, traveling to New York, N.Y. on Sunday afternoon to take on both Columbia and No. 3 Ohio State at University Gym. The Patriots dropped both dual matches, opening the day with a 27-11 loss to Columbia, followed by a 46-0 loss to Ohio State.

In the opening dual of the afternoon, Mason and Columbia alternated wins at the first six weight classes. After senior Brian Wright took a loss at 125 pounds to begin the dual, freshman Zachory Huxford earned a win by technical fall (17-2) at 133 pounds against the Lions' Robert Dyar. Brandon Bucher and Frankie McLaughlin won decisions at 149 and 165 pounds, respectively, to add to the team's point total.

With the Patriots trailing 12-11 heading into the 174-pound bout, Columbia won the next three matches by decision to take a 21-11 lead heading into the heavyweight match. Columbia's Kevin Lester pinned Mason sophomore Hunter Manspile to account for the Lions' final team points of the afternoon.

Mason took a 46-0 loss to Ohio State in the Patriots' second and final dual meet of the day. The Buckeyes won each of the 10 matches in the dual with two falls, a technical fall and four major decisions.

George Mason returns home on Thursday, Jan. 7 to take on VMI at the Recreation and Athletic Complex. The 7 p.m. dual will be the Patriots' first dual wrestling meet in the new RAC Gym.

Columbia 27 George Mason 11
125 - Kyle Gilchrist (Columbia) dec. Brian Wright, 10-4
133 - Zachory Huxford (George Mason) tech. fall Robert Dyar, 17-2
141 - Jake O'Hara (Columbia) fall Shohei Takagi, 2:22
149 - Brandon Bucher (George Mason) dec. Steve Santos, 8-4
157 - Matt Dunn (Columbia) dec. Aaron Keeton, 6-3
165 - Frankie McLaughlin (George Mason) dec. Eren Civan, 3-2
174 - Stephen West (Columbia) dec. Mendbagana Tovuujav, 10-8 (SV)
184 - Cary Aldrich (Columbia) dec. Jimmy Webb, 4-0
197 - Lou Miller (Columbia) dec. Bill Widener, 7-3
Hwt. - Kevin Lester (Columbia) fall Hunter Manspile, 1:44

No. 3 Ohio State 46 George Mason 0
125 - Nikko Triggas (OSU) tech. fall Brian Wright, 16-0 (3:00)
133 - Ian Paddock (OSU) tech. fall Zachory Huxford, 16-1
141 - No. 1 Reece Humphrey (OSU) wins by forfeit Shohei Takagi
149 - No. 4 Lance Palmer (OSU) pinned Brandon Bucher, 1:59
157 - Sean Nemec (OSU) dec. Ty Knapp, 12-6
165 - No. 7 Colt Sponseller (OSU) major dec. Frankie McLaughlin, 12-3
174 - Dave Rella (OSU) dec. Mendbagana Tovuujav, 3-1 (SV)
184 - T.C. Pendelton (OSU) major dec. Jimmy Webb, 12-4
197 - Cody Magrum (OSU) major dec. Bill Widener, 11-2
Hwt. - Corey Morrison (OSU) pinned Dave Speaker, 1:07
George Mason's Tovuujav Wrestles to a Fifth-Place Finish at the Nittany Lion Open

174-pounder places at a tournament for the second time during the 2009-10 season

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (December 6, 2009) - Sophomore Mendbagana Tovuujav finished in fifth place at 174 pounds at the 2009 Nittany Lion Open on Sunday at Rec Hall in University Park, Pa. Tovuujav wrestled to a 4-1 record at the tournament.

The Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia native began the day with a 7-2 decision over Steve Makin of the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown to advance to the second round. In his next match, Tovuujav took a 4-0 win over Justin Ortega of host Penn State to move on to the quarterfinals. Tovuujav dropped the quarterfinal match to Lehigh's Alex Caruso by a final score of 6-4 to drop down to the consolation bracket.

In the consolation bracket, Tovuujav defeated Todd Porter of Missouri by a 16-7 major decision to make his way into the consolation semifinals. Tovuujav then advanced to the consolation championship with his second victory of the day over Makin, a five-point decision. In the final match of the consolation bracket, Tovuujav took a 4-2 win over Ethan Headlee of Pittsburgh to earn fifth place.

Tovuujav improved his record to 12-3 on the season following the day's action. He earned his first major decision of the year at the tournament.

George Mason will compete in its final tournament of the 2009-10 season until the CAA Championships when the Patriots travel to Greensboro, N.C. for the Southern Scuffle on Dec. 29-30.
George Mason's Herndon Finishes Fourth at 133 Pounds at the WWSport.com/BU Open

Sophomore posts a 4-2 record on his way to a fourth-place finish

VESTAL, N.Y. (November 15, 2009) - Sophomore Denny Herndon finished in fourth place at 133 pounds at the WWSport.com/BU Open on Sunday at the Events Center in Vestal, N.Y. Herndon posted a 4-2 record at the tournament.

The Yorktown, Va. native opened the tournament with a win by fall in 2:34 over Quin Leith of Cornell. He followed that up with a 7-1 win over Binghamton's Genta Murayama and a close 6-5 decision over Drexel's Frank Cimato before losing to Brian Ortenzio of Penn 3-0 in the championship semifinals.

After dropping down to the consolation bracket, Herndon dispatched of Lock Haven's John Trumbetti to earn a berth in the consolation final against Finger Lakes' Joe Stanzionne. Stanzionne pinned Herndon in 2:25 to win the match and send Herndon to a fourth-place finish.

George Mason wrestles again on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Navy Classic in Annapolis, Md. The tournament is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
Three George Mason Placewinners Highlight the Hokie Open Tournament for Mason Wrestling

Patriots place at 157, 165 and 174 pounds

SALEM, Va. (November 8, 2009) - George Mason opened its 2009-10 wrestling season on Sunday at the Hokie Open at Salem Civic Center in Salem, Va. The Patriots had placewinners in three separate weight classes (157, 165 and 174 pounds) at the tournament.

Junior Frankie McLaughlin IV finished fourth at 165 pounds for Mason. The Hillsborough, N.J. native made his way to the semifinal round of the championship bracket before falling to Virginia Tech's Matt Epperly by a 12-7 decision. After dropping to the consolation bracket, McLaughlin was forced to forfeit the consolation final to Tennessee-Chattanooga's Brandon Wright to take fourth place.

Sophomore Mendbagana Tovuujav took fifth place in the 174-pound bracket after defeating Mark Rogers of Tennessee-Chattanooga by a 3-1 decision. At 157 pounds, junior Jimmy Kaden made his way to the seventh-place match after dropping to the consolation bracket.

The Patriots will compete again on Sunday, Nov. 15 at the Bearcat Open in Binghamton, N.Y. The tournament is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
George Mason Wrestling Begins the 2009-10 Season with High Expectations

Patriots had two individual CAA Champions for the first time since the 2001 season last year 

FAIRFAX, Va. (November 6, 2009) - After winning multiple individual titles at the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestling Championships for the first time since the 2001 season, George Mason enters the 2009-10 campaign with high expectations to take the program to the next level and consistently compete among the conference's and the nation's elite teams. With one of the toughest dual schedules in the history of the program, the team will be tested throughout the season and well-prepared for championship competition late in the season.

The following is a breakdown of the team at each weight class:

125 Pounds
Providing senior leadership at 125 pounds will be three-year starter Brian Wright. Wright has 49 career wins and is a two-time CAA Championships placewinner. Last season, Wright wrestled to a third-place finish at the conference tournament.

"Brian placed at the conference tournament the past two years and if he can get healthier and be more consistent, he can get himself to the national tournament as well," said George Mason wrestling head coach Mark Weader. "He is in a tough weight class in our conference but when he is wrestling well, he can wrestle with anybody."

Freshman Zachory Huxford, from Jackson Memorial High School in Jackson, N.J., will
push for mat time at the weight class. Huxford wrestled to a fourth-place finish at the Beast of the East Tournament for the Jaguars in 2008.

133 Pounds
The incumbent at 133 pounds, Denny Herndon, returns for his sophomore season in 2009-10. After earning a medical redshirt in 2007-08, Herndon bounced back last season with 18 wins, four falls and two major decisions. Herndon finished in fourth place in a tough field at the 2008 Navy Classic Tournament.

"Denny Herndon started the year very well last year, placing at big tournaments in the beginning of the season, but he suffered from some injuries later in the year," Weader said. "If he can put together a full year, he can really help us quite a bit."

Sophomore Brian Benton is expected to challenge for time on the mat this season. An accomplished wrestler out of Amsterdam High School in Amsterdam, N.Y., Benton wrestled twice last season, winning his first collegiate match by a fall at the Navy Classic, before being forced to sit out the remainder of the year with an injured hand.

141 Pounds
John Delgado returns for his junior year at 141 pounds. Delgado recorded five wins last year at the weight class. Also returning to the team at 141 pounds will be junior Ryan Watson. Newcomers at the weight class include freshmen Shohei Takagi and Jaaziah Bethea. Takagi, from Prospect High School in San Jose, Calif., where he compiled a 128-37 overall record, is expected to push for time on the mat. Bethea finished his high school career at Trenton Central High School in Trenton, N.J. with a record of 103-24.

149 Pounds
Returning for his junior year at 149 pounds is former CAA All-Rookie selection Brandon Bucher. Last season, Bucher posted two falls, two technical falls and a major decision among his five wins. Other returning athletes at the weight class include sophomores Josh Deel and Thomas Lacey. Newcomers to the team include Ty Knepp and Richard Stevens. Knepp was a two-time state qualifier at Midd-West High School in Paxtonville, Pa., where he finished his high school career with a record of 121-21. Stevens joins the team from Loudoun County High School, where he posted a career record of 116-32.

157 Pounds
For the first time in two seasons, the 157-pound weight class will not be occupied by Frankie McLaughlin. The weight class will be occupied by a pair of veterans in Jimmy Kaden and Aaron Keeton, who both enter their junior years. Kaden won 12 matches last season, while Keeton earned five wins and a sixth-place finish at the Navy Classic.

165 Pounds
McLaughlin will be the starter at 165 pounds for the first time in his career this season after wrestling the past two years at 157 pounds. McLaughlin, a CAA All-Rookie Team selection in 2007-08, won 25 matches last season on his way to a fourth-place finish at the CAA Championships.

"Frankie is going to have a huge year for us," Weader said. "He was very close to going to the national tournament last season. He has a lot of wins his first two years in college and has improved tremendously since he joined the team as a freshman."

Entering his sophomore season at 165 pounds is Kramer Whitelaw, who recorded eight wins, four falls and one major decision during his freshman season.

174 Pounds
After winning the CAA Championship and advancing to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships last season, Mendbagana Tovuujav returns for his second year donning the Green and Gold in 2009-10. Tovuujav was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the CAA Championships and earned a ranking of 18th in the final Amateur Wrestling News poll of the season. The Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia native enters the season ranked in three different polls, including a high of 11th in the Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine poll.

"I really think the sky is the limit for Bagna," Weader said. "He is an unbelievable talent and he is getting better all the time. I think he just needs to be more consistent and more focused as he becomes more mature. People know who he is now and he is not going to take anyone by surprise but he has proven he can wrestle anyone in the country and beat anyone in the country."

Juniors Greg Scott and Jimmy Webb also return at the weight class. Scott won three matches last year, while Webb won two.

184 Pounds
Seniors Andrew Rock and Bill Widener will both vie for time on the mat at 184 pounds. Rock moved up a weight after winning three matches last season at 174 pounds. Widener also won three matches last year, while wrestling at 184 pounds. Joining Rock and Widener at the weight class is junior Zach Ulm, who won five matches last year, two by fall.

197 Pounds
A void will be created at the 197-pound weight class by the loss of junior Cayle Byers, who will redshirt this season with a foot injury. Byers, a two-time NCAA qualifier, was ranked in three different polls entering the season, including a high of fourth in the WrestlingReport.com poll. Moving into Byers' spot in the lineup will be junior Mike Peterson, who wrestled primarily at heavyweight last season, earning three wins and a fall.

Heavyweight
Hunter Manspile returns for his sophomore season at the heavyweight class. The Roanoke, Va. native earned valuable mat experience last season at the weight class.

George Mason begins its 2009-10 schedule this Sunday at the Hokie Open in Salem, Va. The tournament, hosted by Virginia Tech, will be held at the Salem Civic Center.
George Mason Wrestling Earns First Conference Victory of the Season

Down Campbell 38-12 and VMI 29-12 at the Fieldhouse

*FAIRFAX**, Va.** (January 12, 2008)* ˆ It was a successful Saturday
afternoon at the Fieldhouse for the George Mason wrestling program as
the team scored a pair of dominating dual meet victories. The Patriots
were never seriously tested in defeating Campbell by 26 and VMI by 17
points.

The Patriots won their first conference dual meet of the season in
dominating fashion, defeating Campbell by a final score of 38-12. The
Camels only won two matches during the entire meet, one by forfeit.
Senior Joe Coughlin (133 pounds), freshman Greg Scott (165 pounds) and
freshman Cayle Byers (197 pounds) all earned their victories by fall.
Brian Wright earned a major decision at 125 pounds, while Brandon Bucher
and Randy Oates won by technical fall at 149 and 174 pounds, respectively.

The success carried over into Mason‚s second meet of the afternoon, as
the Patriots immediately seized control by winning the first five
matches to take a commanding 19-0 lead before VMI won its first match
with a fall by Jayme Gordon at 165 pounds. After the loss, Mason
rebounded by winning the next three matches before forfeiting at the
heavyweight class to take a 29-12 win in the team scoring.

In the opening meet of the day, VMI downed Campbell by a final score of
21-14. The Keydets scored big at the 165-pound weight class, earning six
points when Jayme Gordon pinned Chris Mazzatta at 5:49.

George Mason returns to the mat next weekend when it hosts the CAA Duals
at the Fieldhouse on Jan. 18-19. All nine CAA wrestling programs will be
in action at the two-day event.

*VMI 21 Campbell 14*

*125: *Jeremy Adams (VMI) dec. CJ Gittens (CU), 9-6, 3-0 VMI

*133: *Ryan Goodsell (VMI) dec. Trevour Smith (CU), 6-1, 6-0 VMI

*141: *Kelin Bidelspach (CU) dec. Tyler Anthony (VMI), 5-2, 6-3 VMI

*149: *David Metzler (VMI) dec. Bob Matthews (CU), 6-3, 9-3 VMI**

*157: *Ryan Ham (CU) maj. dec. Vince Cole (VMI), 11-0, 9-7 VMI

*165: *Jayme Gordon (VMI) fall Chris Mazzatta (CU), 5:49, 15-7 VMI

****

*174: *Dustin McCabe (VMI) dec. Dillon Landi (CU), 8-1, 18-7 VMI**

*184: *Kyle Higgins (CU) dec. Curtis Moore (VMI), 8-3, 18-10 VMI

*197: *Parker Burns (CU) maj. dec. Ronnie Ellsworth (VMI), 9-0, 18-14 VMI**

*285: *Leon Barrow (VMI) dec. Rob Yoder (CU), 5-2, 21-14 VMI

* *

*Campbell and George Mason Exhibition Matches*

*157: *Dan Cook (Mason)* *dec.* *Ryan Ham (CU),* *5-3 (SV)**

*174: *Zach Ulm (Mason) maj. dec. Matthew Hawksworth (CU), 10-0

*George Mason 38 Campbell 12*

*125: *Brian Wright (Mason) maj. dec. CJ Gittens (CU), 14-3, 4-0 Mason

*133: *Joe Coughlin (Mason) fall Trevour Smith (CU), 6:43, 10-0 Mason

*141: *Kelin Bidelspach (CU) fall Will Powars (Mason), 3:46, 10-6 Mason

*149: *Brandon Bucher (Mason) tech. fall Bob Matthews (CU), 16-1, 15-6
Mason**

*157: *Jimmy Kaden (Mason) dec. Jake Fose (CU), 4-3, 18-6 Mason

*165: *Greg Scott (Mason) fall Chris Mazzatta (CU), 3:28, 24-6 Mason

*174: *Randy Oates (Mason) tech. fall Dillon Landi (CU), 20-3 (5:45),
29-6 Mason**

*184: *Bill Widener (Mason) dec. Kyle Higgins (CU), 8-7, 32-6 Mason

*197: *Cayle Byers (Mason) fall Parker Burns (CU), 2:24, 38-6 Mason**

*285: *Rob Yoder (CU) wins by forf., 38-12 Mason

* *

*George Mason and VMI Exhibition Matches*

*149: *Jimmy Kaden (Mason) fall Vince Cole (VMI), 5:43**

*George Mason 29 VMI 12*

*125: *Brian Wright (Mason) wins by forf., 6-0 Mason

*133: *Joe Coughlin (Mason) maj. dec. Ryan Goodsell (VMI), 16-6, 10-0 Mason

*141: *Will Powars (Mason) dec. Tyler Anthony (VMI), 3-1 (SV), 13-0 Mason

*149: *Brandon Bucher (Mason) dec. David Metzler (VMI), 9-4, 16-0 Mason

*157: *Aaron Keeton (Mason) dec. John Held (VMI), 7-6, 19-0 Mason

*165: *Jayme Gordon (VMI) fall Andrew Rock (Mason), 2:20, 19-6 Mason

*174: *Randy Oates (Mason) dec. Dustin McCabe (VMI), 5-2, 22-6 Mason**

*184: *Bill Widener (Mason) dec. Curtis Moore (VMI), 5-2, 25-6 Mason

*197: *Cayle Byers (Mason) maj. dec. Ronnie Ellsworth (VMI), 14-4, 29-6
Mason

*285: *Leon Barrow (VMI) wins by forf., 29-12 Mason**

Six George Mason Wrestlers among the Place Winners at the 2008 Virginia State Championships

Patriots finish fourth in the team scoring with 32.5 points

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (January 5, 2008) – Six George Mason wrestlers were among the place winners at the 2008 Virginia Intercollegiate State Championships, held on Saturday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va. The Patriots finished fourth in the team scoring with a total of 32.5 points.

The Patriots earned a pair of runner-up finishes at the tournament as sophomore Andrew Rock finished second at 165 pounds and freshman Cayle Byers placed second at 197 pounds. In his first match of the day, Rock upset second-seeded Justin Gilliard of Apprentice, 4-3, to move onto the semifinal round. In the semifinals, Rock dispatched of Virginia’s Danny Artusio by a 4-2 decision to reach the championship match. In the title bout, Rock fell to the top seed, Virginia’s Mike Chaires, by a 9-7 decision.

In the 197-pound bracket, Byers, the third seed in the weight class, defeated the second seed, Old Dominion’s David Mendoza, in his first match of the day to advance to the championship bout against Virginia’s Brent Jones, the top seed. Jones prevailed by a single point to win the title, 3-2.

Also placing for the Patriots at the tournament were Brian Wright, who finished fourth at 125 pounds; Greg Scott, who finished third at 165 pounds; Randy Oates, who finished fourth at 174 pounds; and Jimmy Webb, who finished fourth at 184 pounds.

George Mason will host a tri-meet with VMI and Campbell on Saturday, Jan. 12 at the Fieldhouse. The first match is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. between VMI and Campbell. After the meet between VMI and Campbell wraps up, the Patriots will wrestle VMI before finishing up the evening with a CAA dual against Campbell.