National Wrestling Coaches Association NWCA

 

Mike Moyer
Executive Director
717-653-8009
717-653-8270 (fax)
mmoyer@nwca.cc
www.nwcaonline.com

 

44th NWCA All- Star Classic Presented by the Wrestling Alumni of the College of William & Mary

By Tammy Tedesco


The NWCA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the 44th NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by the Wrestling Alumni of the College of William & Mary as they partner with the NWCA to raise awareness of the California State Fullerton Wrestling Program situation, and to highlight the talent showcased on November 22, 2009 at Titan Gym on the campus of California State Fullerton.

William & Mary had their first and only ever All-Star participant in 1975, when Mark Belknap a two-time All-American at 134 pounds defeated Jim Miller of Northern Iowa. Twenty years later in 1995 the William & Mary program was dropped. Another athlete who saw his share of hardship was Rob Larmore who started his career off at Tennessee, who dropped the program his freshman year when he then transferred to William & Mary and in 1990 he also earned All-American status.

This year they are pledging their support to help other Universities like California State Fullerton keep the dream alive and allow young athletes to keep competing well into the future.

"Wrestling at William & Mary was a very big part of our lives during some of our most important formative years as young men. Wrestling taught us lessons and values that have served us very well throughout our adult lives. "The words that would come to one's mind if one was to read the resumes of our group can be described as a basket of superlatives," said Kirk Hankla. "We think that the dropping of university wrestling programs across the country is wrong and short sighted. Of all the sports, we believe that none provides the sense of pride and work ethic that derives from participation in the sport of wrestling."

This particular group of wrestling alumni is working to preserve the sport that was near and dear to them in college. They have created The Society for the Preservation of Traditional Sport (SPOTS), a 501c3 non-profit organization that will focus specifically on wrestling and other "Olympic" style sports that are in the same situation. The NWCA All-Star Classic is a way to help launch awareness of SPOTS to the public and allow others to join forces in preserving the sports that have helped to change the lives of many. To learn more about this organization go to <http://www.thespots.org>www.thespots.org.

From past experiences Hankla knows the feeling of seeing his college program dropped, "It is much harder to start or re-start a wrestling program than to save one that is still in existence. When wrestling was dropped at William & Mary, a knife of sorts was driven in to the cores of our souls; it twists each time another wrestling program is dropped. Given what wrestling has meant to us, we have resolved that we will do what we can to see that the mistake which was perpetrated by the College of William & Mary is not repeated again and again. We hope that you will join us, a group of former collegiate wrestlers that attended a university on the other side of the country, to save wrestling at Cal State Fullerton."

The 44th Annual NWCA All-Star Classic will take place on Sunday, November 22, 2009, at 2 p.m. on the campus of California State Fullerton in Titan Gym. Tickets can be purchased through TicketLeap: http://savefullertonwrestling.ticketleap.com/ .
Beaschler, Hazard awarded USMC Excellence in Leadership Award

By Tammy Tedesco
ttedesco@nwca.cc
 
Ron Beaschler of Ohio Northern University and Bryan Hazard of Robinson High School in Fairfax, Virginia, are two individuals that have given countless hours of their time to the sport of wrestling on the state and national level. For their commitment and leadership to the sport of wrestling, the NWCA along with the United States Marine Corps honored both individuals with the 2009 USMC Excellence in Leadership Award.
 
Both of these coaches are continuously sharing their experiences with others, as they continue to grow as leaders. Not to mention they are reaching out to those beyond their team as full time educators in the field of health and physical education.
 
Ohio Northern University Head Wrestling Coach Ron Beaschler has been coaching the polar bears for twenty-one years. He is currently the chairperson of the Department of human Performance and Sport Sciences, along with being an assistant professor of Health and Physical Education.

Beaschler also was one of the inaugural mentors for the NWCA Leadership Academy, which took place prior to the NWCA Convention. Where "up and coming" young college coaches were paired with an experienced coach or administrator to help them grow as leaders as coaches at the collegiate level.
 
Bryan Hazard coaches at Robinson High School in Fairfax, Virginia, for the past thirteen years. Hazard who wrestled at George Mason University, now coaches at his high school alma matter. Hazard currently serves as the Virginia State Chairman for the NWCA Scholastic Division.
 
Beaschler was presented the collegiate award; Hazard earned the high school award at the NWCA's annual convention held last week in Fort Lauderdale at the Bahia Mar Beach Resort.
 
The United States Marine Corps Excellence in Leadership Award is presented yearly to a collegiate and high school coach that represents the core values of the United States Marine Corps in their passion for wrestling and leadership.
 
Sergeant Jeffrey Schuh was on hand to present the award, based out of Fort Lauderdale. Also representing the Marine Corps was Staff Sergeant Rob Fisher, Marketing and Public Affairs.
 
"These two coaches exemplify what this award is all about," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "They are both very dedicated to educating their athletes, not just on the mat but outside of the wrestling room as well."
 
"It was a surprise and honor to receive this award from the United States Marine Corps," said Beaschler. "I have always tried to give back to the sport of wrestling any way I could.  I am very humbled by this award as I have only tried to serve in any capacity that I thought I could help the sport that has given so much to me.  To be recognized in this manner is very special."
 
 In 2008 Beaschler was inducted to the national Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame. He has also served as chair of the Division III NCAA Wrestling Committee for two years and is currently serving as the NCAA Wrestling Committee Weight Management Program liaison.
 
"Jim Beaschler is an accomplished educator and coach," said NWCA President Jim Beichner. "He provides true leadership and instills a winning mentality, not just on the mat, but in life, with his athletes."
 
At ONU, Beaschler holds the longest tenure as head wrestling coach.
 
Hazard completed the NWCA Building Leaders for Life Leadership Course, which helped him develop a strong mission statement for the way he runs his Robinson High School team. That same mission statement has been used as an example by the NWCA for other high schools around the country.
 
He has also been a very active member with USA Wrestling in Virginia, he is currently the Coaching Coordinator for USA Virginia, and has lead numerous Virginia All-Star Teams.
 
In a more recent endeavor to use his talents in this sport, Hazard can be heard from time to time over the loud speakers at tournaments. In 2009 he was able to work alongside Sandy Stevens at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals as the tournament announcer.
 
"Hazard has been helping the NWCA Scholastic Division for quite a while now. He is very passionate about the sport and giving back to the youth in his area and the state of Virginia," said Beichner.
 
"This is a huge honor, especially because it is given by the NWCA and the United States Marine Corps," said Hazard. "The values and ethics and the way that both groups are trained are very similar. These areas are what we should be modeling the training of our coaches and athletes."
 
"I grew up in Fairfax and many of my friends were from military families. Some of my teammates and now my wrestlers have also taken the path of serving in the military which is something that I support and admire," said Hazard.
 
Past Winners

2008
College: Pat Pecora, University of Pittsburgh Johnstown
High School: George Dlugolonski, Chaminade (N.Y.) High School
 
2007
College: Jay Weiss, Harvard University
Scholastic: Trent Kroll, Hood River (OR) High School
 
2006
College: Jack Maughan, University of Northern Colorado
Scholastic: Jose Martinez, North Hills (Pa.) High School

2005
College: Drew Black, Wesleyan University
Scholastic: Paul White, South Forsyth (Ga.) High School
 
 
 
Tammy N. Tedesco
Assistant Director
National Wrestling Coaches Association
717-653-8009 (office)
717-653-8270 (fax)
ttedesco@nwca.cc
www.nwcaonline.com
 
Save the Date for the 2008-09 NWCA Events:
”  August 6-9, 2009 - NWCA Convention -  Ft. Lauderdale
For more inforation click here
 NWCA Announces Columbus as Host for All-Star Classic; National Duals Set to Stay in Cedar Falls

After finishing second at the 2008 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, it didn't seem like there was much more Ohio State coach Tom Ryan could to bring momentum into Columbus and excitement to the wrestling program.

Well, there was.

On Wednesday, the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the 43rd annual NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps will be hosted by the Ohio State University on November 24, 2008.

Prior to the announcement, the NWCA Board of Directors unanimously approved the motion to have Ohio State host the event at the annual NWCA Convention held last week in Las Vegas prior to the Olympic Trials.

"We've taken the All-Star Classic around the country, but it's hard to believe it's been 27 years since the event has been in Columbus," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "We've been to Dallas and Oregon the last two years to try to kick start and preserve wrestling and this coming year, we're going to an area where wrestling isn't just thriving, it's creating an electric atmosphere around campus."

Last year, the event drew over 4,300 fans at the University of Oregon's MacArthur Court in an effort to help the Save Oregon Wrestling effort.

"We were pleased about the outpouring of support from the fans in Oregon last year," said Moyer. "Even with the event traditionally held on a Monday night, we think Columbus will be an ideal location for wrestling fans in the region to watch the best college wrestling has to offer and many previews of what you will see in St. Louis come March.

Back in 1981, names like Gene Mills, Jim Gibbons, Andre Metzger, Nate Carr, Ricky Stewart, Dan Severn and Bruce Baumgartner highlighted the field.

Ticket prices and times are yet to be announced, but information about the event will be released on InterMat and via the All-Star Classic home page at www.theallstarclassic.com

Also on Wednesday, the NWCA announced a two-year extension with the University of Northern Iowa as the host of the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. This move was also approved by the NWCA's Board of Directors.

The event called the UNI-Dome home for the fourth consecutive year and the two-year extension will make it the host site through the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

"The staff ant Northern Iowa and the representatives of the local visitors and conventions bureaus do an amazing amount of work and preparation for this event," said NWCA President Ron Mirikitani. "Just finding lodging for 80-something teams is hard enough, but they make it easy choice to continue to come back."

The 2008 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals were named Event of the Year by the Cedar Valley Tourism Awards handed out last May.

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 programs. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling.

The NWCA, through its organizational structure, promotes communication, recognizes 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.
The Apprentice School Take NCWA Mid-Atlantic Conference Title

BALTIMORE, MD. -- The Apprentice School wrestling team won the 2008 National Collegiate Wrestling Association Mid-Atlantic Conference title on Saturday scoring 200.5 points en route to the team title at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

Six wrestlers won their weight classes and 12 qualified for the NCWA Nationals on March 13-15 in Lakeland, Florida.

Senior Eric Lybarger earned the "Champion of Champions" award winning a loaded 174-pound weight class that contained three NCWA All-Americans from last season. He went 3-0 on the day.

Other weight class winners (with records) included:

125 - Kevin Hill (2-0)

133 - Adam Welch (3-0)

141 - Josh Flint (3-0)

165 - Justin Gilliard (3-0)

184 - Charles Robinson (2-0)

Three Builders earned second place finishes

149 - Matt Perry (2-1)

157 - Austen Damico (2-1)

184 - Thad Lloyd (1-1)

Senior Kendall Ridenour took third place at 197 with a 2-1 record, while Jeff Jiron took fourth at 125 and Josh Seal took fourth at 285 pounds.

Apprentice School head coach Bruce Shumaker earned NCWA Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year honors.

Full results will be posted on Sunday.

NCWA MID-ATLANTIC CONFERENCE

UMBC - Baltimore, Md.

Team Scores: Apprentice School 200.5; UMBC 129, Southern Va. 101; Longwood 74; Northland Baptist Bible College 71; Towson 66; Lee 56; Middle Tennessee 36; Austin Peay 21; Clemson 20; Vanderbilt 14; Virginia Tech 11; Catawba 10.
National Collegiate Wrestling Press Invitation and Update

Media Partners:

The NCWA will be holding the 2008 National Collegiate Wrestling Championships in Lakeland Florida March 13th 14th and 15th. http://www.ncwa.net/nationals

The Host Institution for the 2008 event is the University of Central Florida in Orlando
Defending National Champions Grand Valley State ( MI ) will be challenged by rivals
University of Central Florida ( FL )
University of New Hampshire ( NH )
Marion Military institute ( AL )
Newman University ( KS )
The Apprentice School ( VA )
Williamson Trade ( PA )
Northampton CC ( PA)

The 32 man Bracket will be composed of Athletes that Qualified through the 7 Conferences as follows:
Northeast - 7 Qualifiers
Mid-Atlantic - 4 Qualifiers
Southeast - 7 Qualifiers
Northcentral - 7 Qualifiers
Southwest - 4 Qualifiers
West Coast - 2 Qualifiers
Northwest - 1 Qualifier

Conference Championships will be held the weekend of March 1st & 2nd http://www.ncwa.net/conference

NCWA Women's Division: This will be the first season that the Association will be holding a Women's Division in Collegiate Style Wrestling ( folkstyle)
Most participants will be traveling from the west and northwest coast including Canadian teams out of Vancouver BC.
The field will probably be small with 3 to 7 wrestlers in 8 weight classes.

Many of you on this list will be traveling to the Lakeland event, Please let me know that you are attending if we
have not confirmed your attendance yet, so I can have your Credentials ready,
along with a spots at the press tables and tickets for the Press Room meals and goodies.

If you cannot attend, but still want to receive press updates please let me know so we can include you in on the live webcasts and SID updates.

Thank you for your continued support of NCWA Wrestling
NCWA Tournament Team

As the 2008 NCWA Nationals closes in, I will be emailing each of you that I have on this list for Ideas, Information, areas in which you would like to serve, or just to keep you in the Loop.... if you want removed from this list, Please let me know...there about 30 of you on the list.
Do Not feel a need to respond to each email, only those that apply to you, or interest you in some way.

The people on this list that include:
Volunteers, Donors, Conference Chairmen / Commissioners, NCWA Staff, Sponsors, Media and other Friends of NCWA

I Will normally Address you all as the NCWA TOURNAMENT TEAM, to keep from confusion on other correspondence.

I First want to Thank all of you for all that you have done, continue to do, and your willingness to again serve the wrestling community through the National Collegiate Wrestling Association.

Attached is the Schedule for this years Nationals, if you have not already gotten one.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S QUESTION

We are looking at this point for Contributors that you might know for Advertising in the Official NCWA Nationals Program.
It Costs about $4,000 to produce this publication each year, and has always been a major expense, and drain on budget, but it is a must if we are to run a Top Notch Quality event. Graphic Art Work is always Donated by Hector Silva of "Ector Productions" ( thanks Hector), but print costs still run $4,000... If you know of anyone who we might approach for advertising or sponsorships, please let me know

I'm attaching our typical "Ask" information for you to be informed on normal advertising for this event. Please feel free to pass it along.
NWCA All Academic NAIA Wrestling Team
School GPA
1. Jamestown College 3.199
2. Dana College 3.175
3. Southern Oregon University 3.165
4. Campbellsville University 3.155
5. Cumberland University 3.113
6. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University 3.098
7. Missouri Valley College 3.085
8. University of Great Falls 3.016
9. Northwestern College 3.003
10. Waldorf College 2.671

NWCA All Academic NAIA Individual (42)
Name School Year Major GPA Accomplish
Jacob Stevenson Morningside College So Business Administration 3.32 4th NAIA
Scott Taylor Dana College Sr Biology & Psychology 3.73 4th NAIA
Trent Leichleiter Dana College Sr Elementary & Special Education 3.69 4th NAIA
Marshall Marquardt Dana College Sr Org Communication 3.61 7th NAIA
Terrance Almond Dana College Jr Special Ed. 3.32 4th NAIA
Burke Barnes Dana College So History Ed. 3.10 3rd NAIA
Wade Jordan Dana College So Public Accounting 3.55 NQ NAIA
Brett Brandl Dana College Fr Physical ED ­ Sports Mgmt 3.29 NQ NAIA
Robert Charlton Embry-Riddle Sr Aerospace Engineering 3.00 5th NAIA
Joffre Lander Embry-Riddle Jr Applied Meteorology 3.118 7th NAIA
Morgon Scott Embry-Riddle So Aerospace Engineering 3.606 NQ NAIA
Hayden Harrison Embry-Riddle So Aeronautical Science 4.0 2nd NAIA
Matt Holt Southern Oregon Sr Health & Physical Ed 3.03 3rd NAIA
Daniel O'Brien Southern Oregon Sr Business 3.03 6th NAIA
Trevor Lofsteedt Southern Oregon Fr English 3.72 7th NAIA
Joshua Fitzqerald Southern Oregon Sr Pre-Med 3.78 7th NAIA
James Mannenbach Southern Oregon Jr Pre-Physical Therapy 3.82 5th NAIA
John Chidester Campbellsville So Sports Ministry 3.29 NQ NAIA
Kaci Payne Campbellsville So Un-Decided 3.76 NQ NAIA
Kyle Norred Campbellsville So Education 3.82 NQ NAIA
Jairus Murton Campbellsville Fr Undecided 3.40 NQ NAIA
Christopher Seta Campbellsville Jr Criminal Justice 3.18 5th NAIA
Christopher Branam Campbellsville So English 3.37 NQ NAIA
Kirk Deadrick Campbellsville So Business 3.7 NQ NAIA
Ryan Garcia Waldorf Jr Wellness 3.45 NQ NAIA
Kent Scheff Waldorf So Wellness 3.5 NQ NAIA
Ryan Smith Great Falls So Business 3.02 6th NAIA
Jacob Dieffenbach Lindenwood So Business 3.10 1st NAIA
Ryan Moyer Lindenwood Fr Hospitality Mgmt 3.2 3rd NAIA
Randy Vanderveen Lindenwood So Business 3.25 NQ NAIA
Dustin Howa William Penn Fr Mathematics 3.594 NQ NAIA
Jorge Ortiz William Penn Sr undecided 3.384 NQ NAIA
Paul Carter William Penn Jr Physical Ed & Health 3.743 NQ NAIA
Thomas Bartello Northwestern So Elementary Education 3.27 NQ NAIA
Chris Keating Northwestern Jr Physical Education 3.25 NQ NAIA
Jacob Esser Jamestown Sr Computer Science 3.69 NQ NAIA
Joseph Vincent Jamestown Sr Biology 3.59 NQ NAIA
Kyle Nelson Missouri Valley So History 3.76 NQ NAIA
Nathaniel Troupe Missouri Valley Fr Computer Science 3.41 NQ NAIA
Michael McPeak Montana State University Northern So Biology 3.76 NQ NAIA
Chad Seely Montana State University Northern Fr Undecided 3.91 NQ NAIA
Clayton Crouse Cumberland University Sr History 3.62 NQ NAIA

2007 NWCA National Duals
Team Head Coach
Dana College Steve Costanzo
U of Cumberlands Andrew Medders
Lindenwood Joe Parisi
Missouri Valley Mike Machholz
Embry Riddle John Petty
Dickinson State Thadd O'Donnell
William Penn Gary Garvis
Great Falls Eric Van Kley
Neuman University Mark Stovall
Bacone Mark Ridings
Campbellsville Frank James
Montana State University Northern Dan Troupe
Morningside College Tim Jager
Jamestown College Jason McCloud
Missouri Baptist Brian Jackson
McKendree College James Kisgen

Alternates
York College Russ Dudrey
Cumberland College Jarad Swint
Dakota Wesleyan Josh Hardman
NWCA Award Winners Announced

(Manheim, PA) The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) is proud to announce their 2002-03 award winners that were presented at the 2003 NCAA Championships in Kansas City, MO. The award winners were recognized at the NCAA Opening Ceremonies and NWCA Social.

Each year the NWCA presents an individual or individuals with the NWCA Meritorious Service Award. This is the highest honor that the NWCA presents each year. This annual award is to recognize those individuals who have given significant time and effort to the preservation and promotion of the sport of wrestling. This yearâs recipients were Ron and Jan Mirikitani and Stan Zeamer.

Ron and Jan Mirikitani of Kirkwood, MO earned the honors for the countless hours they have volunteered to the NWCA to see that wrestling thrives on all levels. They have been the key people behind the success of the NWCA annual membership drives, NWCA Convention, and NCAA Tournament activities. In addition, Ron Mirikitani has served the past fourteen years as the President of the NJCAA Wrestling Coaches Association. He is a member of the Board of Directors for USA Wrestling and an executive board member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

Stan Zeamer of Manheim, PA was a head college coach at Franklin and Marshall College before leaving coaching to go into a lucrative business. He is a former College Division National Champion for Northwest Missouri State University. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Governors for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame while also serving on the board of USA Wrestling and the National Wrestling Coaches Association. He and his family have very generously donated office space for the NWCA national headquarters in Manheim, PA. He was also the catalyst and founder of the NWCA Building Leaders for Life Program. 

At the NCAA Opening Ceremonies, the NWCA also recognized the coaches and wrestlers of the year for the collegiate and scholastic level for 2002. 

The 2002 Head College Coach of the Year was Ohio State Universityâs Russ Hellickson. Coach Hellickson guided the Buckeyes to a 20-3 dual meet record and a second place finish in the National Duals. The Assistant Coach of the Year was Chris Bono of Iowa State University. Bono was instrumental in leading the Cyclones to a second place finish at the NCAA Championships with three champions. Iowa State Universityâs Cael Sanderson was the recipient of the Carl Grant Award, which is given to the 2002 outstanding wrestler from the NCAA Championships. 

The 2002 Scholastic Head Coach of the Year was Lou Gianni of Huntington High School in Huntington, NY. Gianni lead his team to the New York State Championship with four champions. The 2002 Scholastic Assistant coach of the Year was Manuel Martinez, who helped guide Sunnyside High School in Tucson, AZ to a State Championship. Earning Scholastic Wrestler of the Year honors was Matt Herrington of LaSalle Institute in Cambridge, NY. Herrington set a new high school record for wins in a career with 243.

The remaining of the NWCA awards was presented at the NWCA Opening Social that was sponsored by ASICS, Cliff Keen. Resilite, Kansas City Visitors and Convention Bureau and the movie Reversal.  

The NWCA social was highlighted by the NWCA honoring Bill Lam of the University of North Carolina and John McHugh of the University of Maryland with the NWCA Lifetime Service Award. The two retiring coaches are now etched in the history of the NWCA as honorary members. As an honorary member, they are given a free NCAA ticket and a lifetime membership. They are honored for the years of service to wrestling and the NWCA. 

The NWCA handed out for the first time the Robert Budd Coaching Excellence Award. The purpose of this award is to recognize outstanding accomplishments of collegiate coaches in each division who epitomize the qualities and characteristics of a role model and mentor for developing young student-athletes. This yearâs award winners are as following:

           Division I Roger Reina University of Pennsylvania

Division II Don Henry Gannon University

Division III Heath Grimm Upper Iowa University

NAIA Steve Costanzo Dana College

CAJC Joe Ismay Palomar College

JUCO Mark Ostrander Iowa Central College

Each year the NWCA recognizes coaches who have given at least 25-years of service to the sport of wrestling. This yearâs 25-year service award winners are as following:

Name School                                                

Robert Lorence Sr. Plymouth White Marsh HS (PA)

Merle Tournay Montour HS, Mckees Rock (PA)        

Ed West John Marshall HS, Glendale (WV)

Greg Zavala Franklin HS, Stockton (CA)

John Sacchi Rutgers University (NJ)

John Allen Seton Hall Prep (NJ)

Frank Lasagna Glades Central HS (FL)

The NWCA was also honored to mark the achievement of three coaches who earned milestones for career coaching wins. For the first time, the NWCA recognized these achievements at the NCAA Championships. These recipients included:

John Sacchi ö Rutgers, NJ ö 400 Wins

Jim Husk ö Miami Southridge High School, FL -595 Wins

George Bossi, Lowell H.S., Lowell, MA - 600 Wins

While the national scholastic head and assistant coach of the year were honored at the NCAA Opening Ceremonies, the NWCA presented plaques to the regional winners at the social. The scholastic regional winners were chosen from the state winners in their respective region. The 2002 regional coaches of the year were as following:

Scholastic - 2002 NWCA Regional ãCoachä of the Year

Reg. Name School State  

I Lou Giani Huntington H.S. NY    

II Guy Pritzger Owing Mills H.S. MD         

III Greg Frey JM Moorehouse H.S. NC         

IV Roy Hall Davidson H.S. MI          

VI Roman Gutierrez Moffat H.S. CO       

VIII Manny Yubeta San Manuel H.S. AZ        

Scholastic ö 2002 Regional ãassistant Coachä of the Year

Reg. Name School State

I Gary Tilbe Danbury H.S. CT

II Mike Mazza Hartford Technical School MD

III Ashley Brooks Soddy Daisy H.S. TN

IV David Rowan Perry H.S. OH

VI Mark Richardson Ark City H.S. KS

VIII Manny Martinez Sunnyside H.S. AZ

Jack Maughan, NWCA President said, ãWe would like to congratulate all of the award recipients for this year. We will also be forever grateful to the NWCA members who nominated these outstanding and deserving people and the members of our Board of Directors who serve on the various selection committees.ä

The NWCA accepts nominations on its website at <http://www.nwcaonline.com/>www.nwcaonline.com for all of these awards. Please visit the website to nominate a coach who may be deserving of these achievements. 

NWCA/DWA US High School Open and Scholastic Duals sponsored by Brute set for April 4-6, 2003

The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) and the Delaware Wrestling Alliance (DWA) through the sponsorship of Brute, will be hosting the second annual NWCA/DWA US High School Open and Scholastic Duals April 4-6, 2003 at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, DE. This USA Wrestling sanctioned event will again bring together one of the nation's most successful underclassman team tournaments with the US High School Open in one venue.

The US High School Open enters its second year after a successful inaugural tournament. Over 300 wrestlers competed in last year's event including 50 state champions. This event creates an opportunity for thousands of outstanding wrestlers across the country to compete against the nation's best and to earn US High School Open All-American Honors. This year's tournament is already showcasing a bigger and strong field than a year ago. Entries for this event are limited to 32 wrestlers per weight class. 

The scholastic duals, which is entering its ninth year, is a showcase for upcoming talent as no seniors are allowed to compete in this state versus state, folkstyle dual meet competition. The talent for this event grows each year as evidenced by last year's championship field that included 195 state place finishers, 88 state finalists, 58 State Champions and National Prep Champions.  This year's competition field should be even more intense as the team field will be increased to 24 state teams. 

To learn more about the US High School Open or to register online, visit www.nwcaonline.com or call Jeff Bowyer at 717-653-8009. 

Pat Tocci

Director of Administration

National Wrestling Coaches Association

717-653-8009

717-653-8270 (fax)

NWCA to be a part of the Beyond The Game Tour Presented By CBS Sports and Opening Ceremonies at the NCAA Wrestling Championships

US National Team to conduct workouts as part of Fan Fest

Manheim, PA (March 17, 2003) The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) is proud to announce they will be a part of the NCAA Beyond the Game Tour, which will take place during the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The Beyond the Game Tour is an interactive fan festival that showcases the excitement and fanfare of the NCAA Championships. The event will be held from March 19-22 in Hale Arena, which is adjacent to Kemper Arena.

The NWCA will partake by having a membership booth that will provide information on the National Wrestling Coaches Association and its current initiatives. The booth will be showing videos of past NCAA Championships and will also feature demonstrations on the NWCA Optimal Performance Calculator Program. Attendees will have time to register as members of the NWCA

The NWCA will also be involved in the NCAA Opening Ceremonies, which will take place on Wednesday, March 19 at 6pm at Hale Arena. The Opening Ceremonies is a kick off to the NCAA Wrestling Championships and is free to the public. The Opening Ceremonies will feature live entertainment, an autograph sessions as well as a parade of champions of all teams competing in the 2003 NCAA Championships. The event will include appearances by wrestling greats Cael Sanderson, Dan Gable and Bruce Baumgartner, who will participate in the evening's program with speeches and question and answer periods. The NWCA will be honoring their 2002 award winners during the ceremony. 

The Beyond the Game Tour will be open on Wednesday from 5:00 pm ­ 9:00 pm, Thursday from 9:00 am ­ 9:00 pm, Friday from 8:00 am ­ 9:00 pm and Saturday from 8:00 am ­ 5:00 pm in Hale Arena.

A highlight of the Beyond the Game Tour will be workouts by the United States National Team on each day in between the wrestling sessions. The workouts will be under the guidance of National Team Coaches Kevin Jackson and Dan Gable and will feature wrestlers such as Stephen Abas, Cael Sanderson, Kerry McCoy and Lincoln McIllravy to name a few. Following the workouts, the wrestlers will be available to sign autographs for the public.   

The free, fun-filled event provides visitors with the opportunity to experience hands-on what it's like to be a champion, while reliving some of the most memorable moments in NCAA history. The tour features five interactive zones where visitors can participate in authentic, championship sports experiences, including:

Cingular Saves of the Game ­ Run back, back, back and experience the thrill of snagging a homerun to win the NCAA Men's or Women's College World Series¨!
Coca-Cola Gridiron Challenge ­ Run onto the field in "full" uniform as a quarterback and score a game-winning touchdown with only seconds left on the clock!
Performance Plays ­ Step into hoops history and attempt to make some of the most memorable shots in men's and women's NCAA Basketball¨ history!
Sync or Swim ­ Show signs of teamwork by stepping into a skull to row against NCAA Championship times!
Catch, Cradle and Throw ­ Suit up in full gear and experience the pressure of receiving a pass and shooting on goal in the final seconds of the Lacrosse Championship!

In addition, the NCAA Champions Theater will feature an action-packed show highlighting memorable NCAA moments and recent champions. An emcee will entertain the crowd from the theater stage with sports trivia and games, allowing fans to win great prizes. Also included in this area is the CBS Sports Play-by-Play Booth where participants can call the action of an exciting college game and take home a DVD of their sportscasting experience.

Adding to the excitement, NCAA Corporate Champions Cingular Wireless and Coca-Cola will each host exciting interactive experiences, including:

á        The Cingular Live Bar, offering fans the opportunity to make free calls from cool, new wireless phones

The Coca-Cola Photo Caf, allowing sports fans to e-mail photos of themselves in championship action to friends and family
The Coca-Cola Contour Prize Bottle, offering great prizes throughout the day

The Beyond the Game Tour will visit more than 25 markets from March to December. The tour is sponsored by CBS Sports, the NCAA, Cingular Wireless and Coca-Cola, and is managed by CMI, a full-service global marketing and promotions agency that creates and facilitates passionate relationships between brands and target consumers through the medium of live.

The National Wrestling Coaches Association is a 501C3 non-profit organization that was formed in 1928 to advance and preserve all levels of amateur wrestling, with the primary emphasis on scholastic and collegiate programs. The NWCA is dedicated to fostering the sportsmanship and integrity of athletic competition. There are four full time staff members and 30 Board of Directors who are dedicated to serving, protecting and promoting the sport of wrestling on an every day basis. Our members include anyone interested in the sport --- coaches, wrestlers, officials and fans along with college and high school institutions.

The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit Association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletics opportunities for 360,000 student-athletes competing in 22 sports at nearly 1,000 member colleges and universities. The NCAA conducts 87 championships each year where more than 44,000 student-athletes compete to be national collegiate champions.

For more information about the NWCA or Fan Fest please contact Pat Tocci at (717) 653-8009.

TV Coverage and NCAA Bracket Release Information

ESPN2 will air same day coverage of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships from Kansas City, MO. The finals will be shown on Saturday, March 22 from 7-9pm on ESPN2. The finals will then be re-aired on ESPN2 on Monday, March 24 from 3:30-5:30am. It is important for the wrestling community to support these telecast.   

The NCAA will be releasing the 2003 Division I Championship brackets on Monday, March 17 at 5pm EST. The NWCA will have a link on www.nwcaonline.com to the official brackets. 

The NWCA will also have a link on our website to the NCAA page for results which will be updated immediately after each match. 

Please visit www.nwcaonline.com for all the latest news about the NCAA Wrestling Championships.

Easton-Absegami matchup to highlight pre-All-Star Meet duals

Two of the nation's Top 10 teams, No. 6 Absecon, N.J. Absegami High and No. 7 Easton, Pa. High, will square off in the feature match as six high school teams square off Monday at 5 p.m. prior to the Cape Cod Potato Chips/NWCA All-Star Meet at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, Del.

It will be a classic battle of one of the top teams in Pennsylvania against the team that is favored to repeat as the No. 1 team in New Jersey.

The other two matches will be rivalry matches between four of Delaware's top teams. Wilmington St. Mark's High and New Castle William Penn High meet in their annual rivalry match, as do southern Delaware powers Camden Wyoming Caesar Rodney High and Georgetown Sussex Central High.

Absegami finished fourth in the Beast of the East Tournament in the very same arena Dec. 21-22, placing six wrestlers in the top eight. Coached by Gene Barber, the Braves return senior state champions Ryan Bridge (130), ranked No. 6 nationally, and Jeff Black (No. 4 at 189), who is committed to Rider. Black won the title at the Beast of the East, with Bridge finishing second. Junior Ryan Goodman (No. 8 at 171), a state runnerup last year, also was the runnerup at the Beast of the East. Nick Bridge (119) finished sixth at the Beast of the East and Bob Flegel (135) and Zach Hammond (heavyweight) seventh.

Easton has six nationally ranked wrestlers, led by junior state champion Mike Rogers, ranked No. 1 nationally at 140. Bryan Hart, who is committed to Bloomsburg, is ranked No. 5 at 125. Also highly regarded are Seth Ciasulli (No. 6 at 103), Alex Krom (No. 18 at 112), Sean Richmond (No. 8 at 152), and Matt Lear (No. 13 at 160).

The four Delaware teams competing were the four semifinalists in Delaware's Division I state dual meet championships a year ago. They are led by St. Mark's, which finished 28th in the Beast of the East to lead Delaware teams. St. Mark's returns senior Patrick Atkinson (130), a two-time state champion and four-time finalist, and three other state placewinners. Junior Brian Willis (189) finished third in state last year and juniors Eddie Quinn (119) and Kyle Skinner (140) fourth.

Caesar Rodney, runnerup to St. Mark's a year ago, returns five state placewinners, led by senior state champion Mark Reynolds (171). Sophomores Sean Corea (112) and Steven Bilbrough (215) and senior Garrett Faulkner (135) were state runners-up last year; sophomore Dan Rigby (152) finished fifth in state. Junior Josh Lowe (125) finished fourth in state for Sussex Central, while sophomore Richard Dondarski (130) finished fifth and senior Jason Dickerson (140) sixth.

The high school meets are prelude to the collegiate All-Star Classic, which will take place at 8p.m. The Cape Cod Potato Chips / NWCA All-Star Classic pits the nation's top collegiate wrestlers against each other in challenge matches that is often seen as a preview of the upcoming NCAA finals. The 2002 All-Star Classic at Hofstra University saw three wrestlers go onto capture NCAA titles in March.  

Headlining the lineup is four number one ranked wrestlers including: Greg Jones of West Virginia at 174lbs, Jessman Smith of Iowa at 184lbs, Muhammad Lawal of Oklahoma State at 197lbs and Steve Mocco of Iowa at 285lbs.

Tickets will be available at the door of the Bob Carpenter Center. 

Please call 717-653-8009 with any questions.

Pat Tocci

Director of Administration and Public Relations

National Wrestling Coaches Association

717-653-8009

717-653-8270 (fax)

ptocci@nwca.cc

<http://www.nwcaonline.com/>http://www.nwcaonline.com/

NWCA Announces Additional Lineup Changes to the All-Star Classic

The NWCA would like to announce several lineup changes to the 37th Annual Cape Cod Potato Chips/NWCA All-Star Classic that will be held on Monday, February 3 at the Bob Carpenter Center on the campus of the University of Delaware. The additions to the lineup include: Chris Rodriquez from the University of North Carolina at 125lbs, Bo Maynes of Oklahoma University at 125lbs, Josh Moore of Penn State at 133lbs, Phillip Simpson of Army at 141lbs, and Pat Cummins of Penn State at 285lbs.

Maynes and Rodriquez will be competing in the All-Star Classic as replacements for number one ranked Chris Fleeger of Purdue and number two-ranked Travis Lee of Cornell. Maynes, is currently ranked eighth in the nation with a 26-4 record. He recently defeated All-Americans, Skyler Holman of Oklahoma State and Iowa's Luke Eustice. Rodriquez, who is currently ranked 12th in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News was a 2002 All-American. He is 20-9 on the season. 

Moore was a late addition to the lineup as he fills the spot vacated by Wisconsin's Kevin Black. Moore is ranked ninth in the nation with a 31-3 record. The 2001 NCAA Qualifier will meet fifth ranked Witt Durden of Oklahoma.

The eighth ranked Simpson is the first Army wrestler ever to compete in the All-Star Classic. Simpson, who is 22-2 on the season, is replacing Lock Haven's Mike Maney. He will meet second ranked, Dylan Long of Northern Iowa.  

Cummins will wrestle in his first All-Star Classic as a replacement for Ohio State's Tommy Rowlands. Cummins, who has a season record of 24-3, is ranked ninth in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News. His opponent will be number one ranked Steve Mocco of Iowa. Mocco is undefeated on the season and is the 2002 NCAA runner-up. 

The Cape Cod Potato Chips / NWCA All-Star Classic pits the nation's top collegiate wrestlers against each other in challenge matches that is often seen as a preview of the upcoming NCAA finals. The 2002 All-Star Classic at Hofstra University saw three wrestlers go onto capture NCAA titles in March.  

Headlining the lineup is returning NCAA Champion Greg Jones of West Virginia University at 174lbs. Jones is currently ranked one nation with a perfect 15-0 record this season. Jones will meet second ranked Chris Pendleton of Oklahoma State University, who is also undefeated at 14-0.   

There will be two other matches that will see the number one versus number two wrestlers meet. At 184lbs, Jessman Smith of Iowa will look to defend his number one ranking versus Cornell's second ranked Clint Wattenberg. Smith defeated Wattenberg in the finals of the Midlands 5-4Number one ranked Muhammad Lawal of Oklahoma State will battle Lehigh's second ranked Jon Trenge at 197lbs. Trenge was a 2-1 winner over Lawal in their only meeting at the 2001 Las Vegas Invitational.  

Cornell's Dustin Manotti at 149lbs and Lehigh's Troy Letters at 165lbs were the lone freshmen selected to compete in this year's event. The ninth ranked Manotti will meet fourth ranked Jake Percival of Ohio University while fourth ranked Letters will wrestle fifth ranked Johnny Clark of Ohio State. 

The remaining lineup includes: Second ranked Keaton Anderson of Ohio State wrestling third ranked Scott Owen of Northern Illinois at 157lbs.  In keeping with the tradition of a local feature match, the Delaware Wrestling Alliance invited Clarion University's sixth ranked John Testa to meet seventh ranked Matt Feast of Penn at 285lbs. Testa grew up in Newark, DE and went to school at St. Mark's High School..

A special prelude to the Cape Cod Potato Chips/NWCA All-Star Classic will be six-team high school event at 5p.m. The feature match will be Pennsylvania State Champions, Easton High School versus New Jersey State Champions, Absegami High School. The two other duals meets will highlight four Delaware schools as Delaware State Champions St. Marks High School will meet William Penn High School while Delaware State Runner-up, Caesar Rodney High School will meet Sussex Central High School.  

Tickets are still available for the event and can be purchased on the day of the event at the Bob Carpenter Center. 

For more information, call the NWCA office at 717-653-8009. 

2003Cape Cod Potato Chips / NWCA All-Star Classic Lineup

February 3, 2003

University of Delaware

125                  #12 Chris Rodriquez (North Carolina) vs. #8 Bo Maynes (OU)

133                           #9 Josh Moore (Penn State) vs. #5 Witt Durden (OU)

141                           #8 Phillip Simpson (Army) vs. #2 Dylan Long (UNI)

149                           #4 Jake Percival (Ohio) vs. #9 Dustin Manotti (Cornell)

157                           #3 Scott Owen (Northern Illinois) vs. #2 Keaton Anderson (Ohio State)

165                           #4 Troy Letters (Lehigh) vs. #5 Johnny Clark (Ohio State)

174                           #1 Greg Jones (WVU) vs. #2 Chris Pendleton (Okla State)

184                           #1 Jessman Smith (Iowa) vs. #2 Clint Wattenberg (Cornell)

197                           #2 Jon Trenge (Lehigh) vs. #1 Muhammad Lawal (Okla State)

285                           #1 Steve Mocco (Iowa) vs. #9 Pat Cummins (Penn State)

285                           #8 John Testa (Clarion) vs. #11 Matt Feast (Penn)

Rankings are based on the January 27 Amateur Wrestling News Rankings

Coaches: Craig Turnbull (West Virginia), Russ Hellickson (Ohio State), Jeff Swenson (Augsburg) and Ray Kowatch (Ashland)

Pat Tocci

Director of Administration and Public Relations

National Wrestling Coaches Association

717-653-8009

717-653-8270 (fax)

ptocci@nwca.cc

<http://www.nwcaonline.com/>http://www.nwcaonline.com/

NWCA Announces Cape Cod Potato Chips / NWCA All-Star Classic Tentative Lineup

NCAA Champions Jones and Rowlands headline lineup

The National Wrestling Coaches Association is pleased to announce that an impressive lineup of Division I wrestlers have accepted invitations to compete at the 2003 Cape Cod Potato Chips / NWCA All-Star Classic. The 37th Annual All-Star Classic, which is being hosted by the Delaware Wrestling Alliance, will take place at the University of Delaware's Bob Carpenter Center on February 3 at 8p.m. The event will also feature a marquee high school event at 5p.m. featuring the defending Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware State team champions. 

The Cape Cod Potato Chips / NWCA All-Star Classic pits the nation's top collegiate wrestlers against each other in challenge matches that is often seen as a preview of the upcoming NCAA finals. The 2002 All-Star Classic at Hofstra University saw three wrestlers go onto capture NCAA titles in March.  

This year's lineup will feature two returning NCAA Champions and five current number one ranked wrestlers.  There are currently five matches featuring the number one and two ranked wrestlers in the nation according to Amateur Wrestling News. The lineup is tentative and could be subject to change in case of injuries to participating wrestlers. 

Headlining the lineup is returning NCAA Champions Greg Jones of West Virginia University at 174lbs and Tommy Rowlands of Ohio State University at 285lbs. Jones is currently ranked one nation with a perfect 15-0 record this season. Jones will meet second ranked Chris Pendleton of Oklahoma State University, who is also undefeated at 14-0. Rowlands, who is making his third consecutive appearance at the NWCA All-Star Classic, is currently ranked second in the nation with a 23-2 record. He will renew his rivalry with Steve Mocco of Iowa. Mocco is currently ranked first with a 16-0 record and defeated Rowlands at the Midlands Championships 4-2. Rowlands and Mocco is a repeat of last year's NCAA finals, which Rowlands won on the tiebreaker. 

There will be three other matches that will see the number one versus number two wrestlers meet. At 125lbs, number one ranked Chris Fleeger of Purdue will meet Cornell University's second ranked Travis Lee. Fleeger is currently undefeated at 15-0 while Lee is 18-0 on the season. At 184lbs, Jessman Smith of Iowa will look to defend his number one ranking versus Cornell's second ranked Clint Wattenberg. Smith defeated Wattenberg in the finals of the Midlands 5-4. The final number one versus two match will take place at 197lbs. Number one ranked Muhammad Lawal of Oklahoma State will battle Lehigh's second ranked Jon Trenge. 

Cornell's Dustin Manotti at 149lbs and Lehigh's Troy Letters at 165lbs were the lone freshmen selected to compete in this year's event. The fifth ranked Manotti will meet fourth ranked Jake Percival of Ohio University while fourth ranked Letters will wrestle fifth ranked Johnny Clark of Ohio State. 

The remaining lineup includes: Second ranked Witt Durden of Oklahoma meeting fourth ranked Kevin Black of Wisconsin at 133lbs, third ranked Dylan Long of Northern Iowa meeting fourth ranked Mike Maney of Lock Haven at 141lbs and second ranked Keaton Anderson of Ohio State wrestling third ranked Scott Owen of Northern Illinois at 157lbs. 

In keeping with the tradition of a local feature match, the Delaware Wrestling Alliance invited Clarion's John Testa to meet Penn's Matt Feast at 285lbs. Testa grew up in Newark, DE and went to school at St. Mark's High School. 

"On behalf of the NWCA Board of Directors, I would like to thank the athletes and coaches for competing in this signature event, we truly could not make these events a success without their support," stated Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association 

This year's Cape Cod Potato Chips / NWCA All-Star Classic is unique as it marks the first time the event is being brought to a campus that currently does not sponsor wrestling.  The Delaware Wrestling Alliance is presenting the event to help bring wrestling back to the University of Delaware. The DWA's success is predicated on their ability to demonstrate a strong commitment from the wrestling community in the Middle Atlantic Region.

"The NWCA BOD will be forever grateful for the relentless efforts of the DWA to host our signature event in an attempt to restore an intercollegiate wrestling program to the campus of University of Delaware. We would like to ask that the entire wrestling community in the mid-Atlantic region supports the DWA's efforts by ensuring that we have a sell-out crowd," commented Moyer. 

A special prelude to the Cape Cod Potato Chips/NWCA All-Star Classic will be six-team high school event at 5p.m. The feature match will be Pennsylvania State Champions, Easton High School versus New Jersey State Champions, Abesgami High School. The two other duals meets will highlight four Delaware schools as Delaware State Champions St. Marks High School will meet William Penn High School while Delaware State Runner-up, Caesar Rodney High School will meet Sussex Central High School.  

Tickets can be purchased for the Cape Cod Potato Chips / NWCA All-Star Classic by by visiting the DWA's website at <http://www.beastwrestling.com/>www.beastwrestling.com. For more information, please call 717-653-8009.  

2003Cape Cod Potato Chips / NWCA All-Star Classic Lineup

February 3, 2003

University of Delaware

125              #1 Chris Fleeger (Purdue) vs. #2 Travis Lee (cornell)

133                          #4 Kevin Black (Wisc) vs. #2 Witt Durden (OU)

141                          #4 Mike Maney (Lock Haven) vs. #3 Dylan Long (UNI)

149                          #4 Jake Percival (Ohio) vs. #5 Dustin Manotti (Cornell)

157                          #3 Scott Owen (Northern Illinois) vs. #2 Keaton Anderson (Ohio State)

165                          #4 Troy Letters (Lehigh) vs. #5 Johnny Clark (Ohio State)

174                          #1 Greg Jones (WVU) vs. #2 Chris Pendleton (Okla State)

184                          #1 Jessman Smith (Iowa) vs. #2 Clint Wattenberg (Cornell)

197                          #2 Jon Trenge (Lehigh) vs. #1 Muhammad Lawal (Okla State)

285                          #1 Steve Mocco (Iowa) vs. #2 Tommy Rowlands (Ohio State)

285 #8 John Testa (Clarion) vs. #11 Matt Feast (Penn)

Coaches: Craig Turnbull (West Virginia), Russ Hellickson (Ohio State), Jeff Swenson (Augsburg) and Ray Kowatch (Ashland)

2003 Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals Brackets to be Released Monday

The complete brackets for the Cliff/NWCA National Duals will be released on Monday evening at 8p.m. The brackets can be viewed at <http://www.nwcaonline.com/>www.nwcaonline.com, which will include all pairings and match times. The national duals are scheduled for January 18-19 at Ohio State University.

Along with the NCAA Championships, the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals is the premier collegiate wrestling event in the country. The event brings together the top-16 teams in NCAA Division I, II and III to compete for the national dual meet championship in their respective division. The two-day event will feature over 90 matches wrestled on 12 mats culminating with the finals of all three divisions being run simultaneously on Sunday. 

In addition to the collegiate event, there will be a marquee high school event on Friday, January 17. The event will feature nationally ranked St. Paris Graham and Mater Dei along with Parkersburg South, Lakota East and Lisbon Beaver. Match times start at 4p.m. 

You can purchase tickets for the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals by calling the Ohio State Ticket office at (614) 292-2624 or 1-800-GO-BUCKS. 

For those who are not able to attend the national duals in person the NWCA and LiveSportsVideo.com have teamed up to web cast live the national duals. The event will not only be shown live but will also be available on archives for future reference. The cost to view the event is $20 with the proceeds going to support the NWCA. For more information on the live web cast make sure to visit <http://www.livesportsvideo.com/>www.livesportsvideo.com.

Pat Tocci

Director of Administration

National Wrestling Coaches Association

717-653-8009

717-653-8270 (fax)

ptocci@nwca.cc

<http://www.nwcaonline.com/>http://www.nwcaonline.com/

Philadelphia Title IX Meetings

The College Sports Council, National Wrestling Coaches Association and USA Wrestling want to strongly encourage as many people (especially wrestling moms) from the wrestling and Olympic Sports community to attend the Philadelphia meeting of the Commission on Opportunity in Athletics. It is imperative to have a presence in Philadelphia, as the Commission on Opportunity in Athletics did not work on coming to any conclusions during its San Diego meetings. The next meeting in Philadelphia should be the most important in determining what will be decided by this panel.

While the public will have no input at this final session, the wrestling and Olympic Sports community can and should attend. This meeting will probably determine the direction of this effort. It is an opportunity for us to be seen and heard before it is too late. Every year opportunities for males in the Olympic Sports is decreasing and without a change in the interpretation of Title IX, those opportunities might cease forever. The Philadelphia meetings will be a venue to demonstrate the strength and resolve of the Olympic Sports community.  The wrestling community and the Olympic sports family have been active at all four meetings, and must keep up the pressure. With the most important meeting of the Commission coming up, wrestling and other sports must again show that it wants to see change and preserve opportunities for males in the Olympic sports.

The CSC, NWCA and USAW want to encourage mothers to especially attend this important session. A show of strength by mothers would demonstrate a concern about the opportunities for our sons. The facts of why mothers should attend these hearings include:

Title IX was established to create more opportunities not destroy themthe current interpretation has resulted in the elimination of 22,000 opportunities for males athletes in the last decade.

We are looking for a new interpretation that protects women without harming men. Equal opportunity must be based on interest, not enrollment.

Although proportionality might be a convenient way of measuring interest, no other aspect of American life is held to this standard.

Our country's strength is based on equal opportunity. Title IX enforcement is not equal - it is hurting boys unfairly and as devoted mothers we will not tolerate anyone who is deceiving the public from this fact.

The CSC, NWCA and USAW have reserved space at the site of the hearings, which will take place at the Marriott Philadelphia located at 1200 West Market Street. We would like that all people come and check in at the main lobby to receive instructions and information about what is planned. People may attend for as long as they like. The schedule of the hearings is listed below. We would also would like people to email Pat Tocci at <mailto:ptocci@nwca.cc>ptocci@nwca.cc if you plan on attending the hearings so that we can plan on how many people we can expect. 

December 3-4, Philadelphia: Beginning at 1:00 on Tuesday, December 3rd, the Commissioners will meet to discuss and focus on the Report and work through the afternoon. The Commissioners will continue to meet to discuss and focus on the Report on Wednesday, December 4th, at 9:00 and work through the day.

NWCA Teams with Brute and Rob Sherrill for new scholastic news

Through a generous sponsorship by Brute, the NWCA has teamed up with Rob Sherrill to provide exclusive scholastic content and news for the scholastic section of <http://www.nwcaonline.com/>www.nwcaonline.com. Sherrill will provide exclusive content that will include: scholastic team and individual rankings, feature scholastic stories, review of the past week's scholastic activities, a look a head to the upcoming week, profiles on wrestlers, coaches and teams. Sherrill is widely considered to be one of the gurus of high school wrestling and the NWCA is excited about this new partnership with Sherrill and Brute. Make to visit our website at <http://www.nwcaonline.com/>www.nwcaonline.com to see the new Brute scholastic section.

NWCA Sponsors Cael Sanderson Dinner

The National Wrestling Coaches Association is proud to sponsor a fundraising
dinner with NCAA wrestling great Cael Sanderson on July 17 in Lancaster, PA.
"A night with Cael" will be held at the Comfort Inn-Sherwood Knolls at
6:00pm and tickets are available to the general public to this memorable
affair.

Sanderson recently completed one of the most storied careers in all of
college athletics by capturing four NCAA titles while going undefeated at
159-0. He was voted the outstanding wrestler four times at the NCAA
Championships and was a three-time winner of the Hodge Award, which is given
annually to the nation's top collegiate wrestler. A two-time Academic
All-American, Sanderson graduated from Iowa State University with a degree
in Art and Design. In June, he made his second US National Freestyle Team
after winning the US World Team Trials and will represent the United States
at the World Championships in Tehran, Iran in September. Sanderson recently
signed a long-term contract with the ASICS TIGER Corporation and Cliff Keen
Athletics.

The NWCA is emerging as a nationally recognized leader in Title IX reform
and coaching education. The revenue generated from "A Night with Cael" will
be used to help fund the implementation and development of NWCA initiatives
which include: A federal lawsuit against the Department of Education over
the interpretation of Title IX, a leadership development program in
conjunction with the United States Marines Corps, a 450 page administrative
coaches manual for high school and college coaches, a web based diet program
will be available to the collegiate and scholastic wrestling programs for
the 2002-03 season and the NWCA Wt. Certification Program currently serves
as a clearinghouse for the NCAA, NJCAA, NAIA, and CA Junior Colleges. The
NWCA has a set a goal of raising over a $100,000 to completely fund these
initiatives and programs.

Tickets for this event are still available and can be purchased individually
for a $100 a plate. The NWCA is also selling tables to groups for a $1000 a
piece, which would include plates for ten guests. For more information
about attending this event or purchasing tickets, please contact Jeff Bowyer
at the NWCA office at 717-653-8009.

Outstanding American Inductee Ken Leuer to be keynote speaker at AWA Convention

The National Wrestling Coaches Association is proud to announce that Ken
Leuer will be the keynote speaker at the NWCA Awards banquet at the 2002 AWA
Convention. The 2002 Amateur Wrestling Alliance Convention is scheduled for
June 5-8 at the Holiday Inn-Stillwater in Stillwater, Okla. This year's
convention will be very special, as it being held alongside the National
Wrestling Hall of Fame Honors Weekend, one of the sport's annual highlights.

The Amateur Wrestling Alliance includes three partner organizations: the
National Wrestling Coaches Association, USA Wrestling and the National
Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum.

Ken Leuer is being inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as an
Outstanding American for the class of 2002. A 1956 undefeated NCAA Champion
for the University of Iowa, Ken Leuer would go onto serve a highly
decorative military career. Ken Leuer would become a Major General and be
inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame and has been awarded the Order of St.
Maurice, Primicerius Level.

The Big Ten Wrestling Champion and two-time All-American would be a member
of the Army's most elite ranks including the Special Forces and the Airborne
Rangers during his 32-year military stint. Major General Leuer was later
handpicked by the Army Chief of Staff and given the charter for the
formation of the modern Ranger Battalions. Leuer instilled two values into
the elite force; standards and discipline. Leuer started, selected and
trained 680 men that are considered the pinnacle of highly trained and
specialized troops in the world. Leuer will be inducted into the National
Wrestling Hall of Fame as an Outstanding American on Saturday, June 8.

Each year at the convention, featured presentations are technique clinics,
workshops, coaching education programs and numerous social activities.

Among the special activities at this year's event are:
* A special leadership development presentation that is sponsored by the
United States Marines Corps and will be presented by Board Member Stan
Zeamer.
* Golf outing/country jamboree in conjunction with the Hall of Fame.
* Opportunity to support several inductees as they are inducted into Hall of
Fame.
* Title IX Seminar presented by Leo Kocher and Eric Pearson
* Strength and conditioning seminar presented by Gary Calcagno, Oklahoma
State strength coach.
* NCAA Rules Certification Clinic on Saturday, June 8
* NCAA and Scholastic Wrestling Forums

The 2002 AWA Convention will feature a trade show with the top wrestling
related companies showcasing the latest wrestling products and services. A
highlight of the convention will be the exhibitor's social on Friday
evening, where there will be a raffle for the attendees. The grand prize for
2002 will be a trip a one-week trip St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands,
courtesy of Alan Meltzer and Navigant Sports Travel.

The featured clinicians include J Robinson, head coach of two-time NCAA team
champion Minnesota, Jack Spates, head coach of national power Oklahoma, and
Kevin Jackson, Olympic champion and USA Wrestling National Freestyle Coach.
All three clinicians are considered among the best in the business.

Sponsors for the convention include ASICS, Resilite Sports Products, Inc.
and Cliff Keen Athletics. These companies have supported the convention in
the past, and are leaders within the sport of wrestling.

Anyone who has not attended the Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling
Hall of Fame will be in for a special treat. The Wrestling Hall of Fame is
one of the best sports museums in the nation. Wrestling enthusiasts can
spend hours enjoying the exhibits and displays.

The registration cost for the convention is $150 in advance, and $210 at the
door. Payment in full or a $50 deposit must accompany your registration
form,

Other activities available for participants is the Hall of Fame Golf
Tournament ($45), Ladies Style Luncheon ($15) and 26th Annual Hall of Fame
Honors Banquet ($25). Additional Pig Roast and Banquet tickets will be
available for sale.

For your room reservations at the Holiday Inn - Stillwater, please call
1-405-372-0800. Make your room reservations under the group block NWCA. Room
rates are $63 per night for single or double rooms.

Special housing in an Oklahoma State On-Campus Apartment is also available.
New apartments with four bedrooms, two baths, sitting area and kitchen can
be secured for just $28 per night per person. Contact Pat Tocci at
717-653-8009 if interested.

To register for the convention, contact Pat Tocci, NWCA PO Box 254 Manheim,
PA 17545. For information call: 717-653-8009 or fax 717-653-8270 Email
address: ptocci@nwca.cc. Your presence is needed and your voice valued.

Hellickson and Bono honored as Coaches of the Year

The National Wrestling Coaches Association is proud to announce Russ
Hellickson of Ohio State University as the NWCA Head Coach of the Year and
Chris Bono of Iowa State University as the NWCA Assistant Coach of the Year
for the 2001-02 season.

 

Russ Hellickson guided Ohio State to one of its finest season's ever
compiling a 20-3 dual meet record. The Buckeyes season was highlighted with
a second place finish at the 2002 Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals held at
Ohio State. Hellickson's team was ranked as high as second in the national
polls after defeating Oklahoma State and Oklahoma and finished the season
ranked 5th in the final NWCA Dual Meet Poll. Ohio State went onto finish
4th at the Big Ten Championships with four finalist and Tommy Rowlands
capturing an individual title at heavyweight. The Buckeyes qualified nine
wrestlers for the NCAA Championships were the team finished 6th with three
All-Americans including National Champion Tommy Rowlands. Hellickson was
also named C0-Coach of the Year in the Big Ten with J Robinson.

 

Iowa State Assistant Coach, Chris Bono was highly instrumental in leading
the Cyclones to a second place finish at the 2002 NCAA Championships with
five All-Americans. The Cyclones put together an impressive NCAA Tournament
that saw Aaron Hoelker at 149lbs, Joe Heskett at 165lbs and Cael Sanderson
at 197lbs capture individual titles. Sanderson completed one of the most
storied careers in all of college athletics by capturing four individual
titles and finishing his career at a 159-0. Iowa State finished the season
with a 17-5 dual meet record and a fourth place finish at the Cliff
Keen/NWCA National Duals. In addition, Iowa State placed two wrestlers on
the NWCA All-Academic Team.

 

NWCA President Roger Reina commented on this year's recipients, "Head Coach
Russ Hellickson has been a leader and highly respected member of the
coaching fraternity and we are more than honored to recognize him and Ohio
State for their achievements this season. Chris Bono is one of the bright
young coaches in the country and his influence on the Iowa State wrestling
program is remarkable. Congratulations are in order on behalf of the NWCA
Board of Directors to these two standout coaches."

 

Coaches who win this award must sit out three years before being able to be
eligible for being honored again. Head Coaches ineligible to receive the
award include J Robinson of Minnesota, Bobby Douglas of Iowa State and Jim
Zalesky of Iowa while ineligible assistant coaches include Jim Heffernan of
Illinois, Tom Brands of Iowa and Marty Morgan of Minnesota.

 

Hellickson and Bono will be honored at the NWCA Convention in Stillwater, OK
on June 7 and at the 2003 NCAA Championships in Kansas City.

 

Pat Tocci
Assistant Executive Director
NWCA
717-653-8009
717-653-8270 (fax)
ptocci@nwca.cc
http://www.nwcaonline.com/

Brute NWCA/DWA US High School Open and Scholastic Duals

 

Star Studded Field Highlights Brute NWCA/DWA US High School Open and
Scholastic Duals

55 State Champions Representing 20 State Teams to Compete in Scholastic
Duals

 

Many of the nation's top wrestlers will be in action this weekend at the
Brute NWCA/DWA US High School Open and Scholastic Duals at the Bob Carpenter
Center on the campus of the University of Delaware on April 5-7.

This inaugural event, which is sanctioned by USA Wrestling, is a combination
of one of the nation's premier underclassmen team tournaments with a new
high school open.

 

The Scholastic Duals, which is sponsored by Brute, is a showcase for
upcoming talent as no seniors are allowed to compete in this state versus
state, folkstyle dual meet competition. This year's tournament is comprised
of 20 teams representing the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York,
Delaware, Ohio, Colorado, Michigan, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Alabama,
Indiana, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Team
Pennsylvania Thunder is the defending team champion defeating New Jersey Red
in the final last year 42-9.

 

The talent for this event continues to grow each year as evidenced by this
year's field, which includes 195 state place finishers, 88 state finalists,
55 State Champions, 3 National Prep Champions. Included in this field are
two 3X State Champions in Guy Gibson of Florida and Chris Nissan of Colorado
along with 2X National Prep Champion Rudy Ruda of Maryland. The entire list
of teams and entrants can be found on www.beastwrestling.com.

Action will begin on Friday morning with pool action starting at 8:00am.
The top two teams from each of the four pools will move into an eight-team
championship bracket, which is scheduled to begin on Friday evening.
Results from the duals will be available throughout on
http://www.beastwrestling.com/.

 

The Brute US High School Open was recently changed to a new format to allow
all high school wrestlers the opportunity to compete. The US High School
Open will feature a combination of top seniors along with many of the top

underclassman in the county.

USA Wrestling will continue to support the US High School Open by offering
funded status to the two top place winners at each weight class at the US
High School Open, which allows for specialized training at the US Olympic
Training Center, to work with USA Wrestling's National Coaching Staff. The
Champions at each weight class will be invited to USA Wrestling's 2008
Junior Olympic Camp, which features the nation's best stars by invitation
only.

 

The high school open is open to any wrestler in grades 9-12. The wrestler
does not need to meet any qualifying status to be able to compete. The entry
fee is $40 without a USA Wrestling Card or $20 with a card. Scholastic dual
entrants can enter the high school open for $10. Wrestlers may register for
this event on Friday at the Bob Carpenter Center.

 

For more information about the Brute NWCA/DWA US High School Open and
Scholastic Duals please visit us at our website at www.beastwretling.com or
call Pat Tocci at 717-653-8009.

Pat Tocci
Assistant Executive Director
NWCA
717-653-8009
717-653-8270 (fax)
ptocci@nwca.cc
http://www.nwcaonline.com/

NWCA Announces that US Senior High School Open to become US High School Open and open to all high school wrestlers Finalists still receive funded access from USA Wrestling

In the spirit of promoting an elite high school wrestling event, the NWCA and DWA are announcing a change in the format for the Brute US Senior High School Open. The US Senior High School Open has been changed to an open high school event, which makes any high school wrestler eligible to compete. The new event has now become the US High School Open and will still be held April 5-7, 2002 at the Bob Carpenter Center on the campus of the University of Delaware.

The format change to an open tournament was necessitated by a need to grow this event in its inaugural year. The NWCA, DWA and USA Wrestling are committed to providing the highest level of competition to the wrestlers competing. This new format will ensure that these goals are met and that the US High School Open will become one of the marquee high school events in the nation. The new format will still provide the perfect venue for college coaches to witness the top wrestlers in the nation, as the scholastic duals will take place as scheduled along with the new open tournament. The NWCA still expects over 60 colleges to be in attendance.

"We are truly grateful to all of the high school coaches and athletes across the nation who have supported our inaugural open event. We are committed to providing competition at the highest level for these elite athletes as we grow this event. We are also thankful to our college coaches who are have agreed to support this innovative concept through its inception", said Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the NWCA.

Many of the wrestlers that are competing in the scholastic duals will now be able to also showcase their talent in the US High School Open. The talent level of this signature scholastic event continues to strengthen each year as evidenced by last year's competition field of 49 high school state champions representing 78 high school state titles. Additionally, there were 87 state finalists entered into the event.

USA Wrestling will continue to support this event by offering funded status to the two top place winners at each weight class at the US High School Open, which allows for specialized training at the US Olympic Training Center, to work with USA Wrestling's National Coaching Staff. The Champions at each weight class will be invited to USA Wrestling's 2008 Junior Olympic Camp, which features the nation's best stars by invitation only.

The high school open is open to any wrestler in grades 9-12. The wrestler does not need to meet any qualifying status to be able to compete. The entry fee is $40 without a USA Wrestling Card or $20 with a card. Scholastic dual entrants can enter the high school open for $10. To register for the event please visit our website to register online at www.nwcaonline.com or call our office at 717-653-8009.

For more information about the Brute NWCA/DWA US High School Open and Scholastic Duals please visit us at our website at www.nwcaonline.com or call Pat Tocci at 717-653-8009. We hope that you can join us for this unprecedented event in April.

2002 D-3 National Wrestling Coaches Association
TOP 20 SCHOLAR TEAMS

INSTITUTION TEAM G.P.A.

1. Milwaukee School of Engineering 3.532

2. John Carroll University 3.5306

3. Augsburg College 3.386

4. Wesleyan 3.383

5. Loras 3.357

6. UW LaCrosse 3.322

7. Olivet College 3.317

8. Trinity 3.2881

9. Johnson & Wales 3.283

10. Elmhurst College 3.248

11. Wilmington College 3.242

12. Messiah College 3.222

13. Lawrence 3.201

14. Roger Williams 3.1936

15. New York University 3.1802

16. Ohio Northern University 3.156

17. Springfield College 3.1309

18. North Central 3.128

19. Augustana College 3.119

20. University of Scranton 3.113

2001-2002 D-3 National Wrestling Coaches Association
Academic All-American

Academic Criteria:

1. The nominee must have a 3.2 GPA (on a score of 4.0) for the
previous academic year or as a cumulative GPA for his entire academic
career.
2. The nominee must be enrolled at his current institution for at
least one full year.

Athletic Criteria:

1. The wrestler must have finished at least fourth in the
conference qualifier or at least sixth in the regional qualifier. He must
have competed in at least half of his institutions scheduled competitions
and must have a won/loss record of at least .500.
2. The wrestler must have finished with a winning percentage of at least 67% and must have
competed in at least 2/3 of his institutions total scheduled competition of NCAA sanctioned
events.

Additional Criteria:

1. The nominee must be of high moral character and in good standing
at the institution making the nomination.
2. A nominee can be nominated in just one weight class.
3. Coaches submitting nominees must be active members, in good
standing, in the NCAA Division III Wrestling Coaches Association and
the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

125
Bertram, Darin Augsburg
Hendricks, Jeremy Central
Johnson, Calvin Springfield
Metcalf, Joe Mt Union
Nord, Tony Wheaton
Restrepo, Carlos Ithaca
Stragand, Jeremy Washington & Jefferson
Thompson, Ryan Luther
Vos, Matthew Saint John's
Winn, Gregory SUNY-Oneonta

133
Bonnet, Jeffrey Milwaukee School of Engineering
Dobbins, Charles Heidelberg
Ewig, Ben Messiah
Ferrora, Jeff Cortland
Frank, Brian Johns Hopkins
Habeck, Josh LaCrosse
Kareha, Stephen Gettysburg
Morphen, Nicholas Lawrence
Passe, Christopher LaCrosse
Villa, Mario Hunter

141
Cudd, Brady LaCrosse
Conover, Casey Luther
Foresi, Mark Trinity
Jacobs, Daniel Williams
Messinger, Mason York
Moore, J. R. Chicago
Serrano, Ronnie Cortland
Shefchik, Ryan Milwaukee School of Engineering
Yeasted, Nathan Muhlenberg

149
Brison, Brian Muskingum
Buseman, Darren Scranton
Dunham, Christopher Olivet
Fabry, Troy LaCrosse
Geiger, Tim Ohio Northern
Jones, Jeffrey North Central
Markovic, Mike John Carroll
Michael, Ryan York
Morf, Alex St Olaf College
Patrizi, Anthony Heidelberg
Vogel, Andrew Messiah

157
Benham, Joe John Carroll
Bratland, Kevin Wartburg
Goodnature, Brian Augsburg
Hada, Joe Heidelberg
Johnson, Peter New York
Jones, Adam Wesleyan
Logee, Daniel Messiah
Moscatello, Matt The College of New Jersey
Moskowitz, Richard Plymouth state
Winter, Dan Lycoming
Zollars, Drew Mt Union
Zwaschka,Matt LaCrosse

165
Abbott, Anthony Augsburg
Bobbitt, Billy Western Maryland
Cwalina, Dan Ursinus
Friedman, Bryan Ursinus
Gilbert, James Johnson & Wales
Gosko, Greg Lawrence
Gum, Andy Central
Harris, Brendan Coast Guard
Jansen, Robert York College
Martinez, Jesse Kings
North, Patrick R.I.T.
Schroeder, Rich Loras
Song, Justin Simpson College
Toukonen, Kayne Ohio Northern
174
Davis, Terry Wilmington
Flores, Richard North Central
Gottesman, Aaron Springfield
Hull, Andrew Lycoming
Statzer, Bradley Wilmington

184
Anderson, David Elmhurst
Bernard, Jeffrey Roger Williams
Cleary, Paul Loras College
Doros, Michael Trinity
Dusina, Ben Ohio Northern
Forsyth, Roy Platteville
Kuhne, Logan Wabash
Mauser, Arthur John Carroll
Mueller, Joseph Washington & Lee
Pearson, Brad North Central

197
Huset, Matt Milwaukee School of Engineering
Johann-Berkel, Kip Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Morse, Ezra Washington & Lee
Post, Justin Loras
Rasmussen, Kevin Augsburg
Seaman, Justin Lawrence
Schmidt, Josh Case Western
Viola, Anthony Cortland

HWT
Coatoam, Jon Case Western
Currier, Doug Bridgewater State
Daly, Tim Chicago
Fleisher, Corey Wilkes
Haar, Jeff Ohio Northern
Kennedy, Bruce Wilmington
Scanlon, Joseph Wabash
Schoenherr, Matt Milwaukee School of Engineering
Walker, Greg M.I.T.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Chair ­ Daryl Arroyo - Springfield
Jere Klein, Olivet College
Ron Tirpak, Ursinas College

Smith to be keynote speaker at the Brute US Senior High School Open and Scholastic Duals Finalists to receive funded access status from USA Wrestling

The National Wrestling Coaches Association and the Delaware Wrestling Alliance are pleased to announce that 2X-Olympic Gold Medallist and Oklahoma State Head Coach, John Smith will be the keynote speaker at the 2002 NWCA/DWA US Senior High School Open and Scholastic Duals, which is sponsored by Brute. In addition, USA Wrestling will provide funded access status to all finalists of the US Senior High School Open.

This inaugural event, which is sanctioned by USA Wrestling, will bring together one the nation's premier underclassmen team tournaments with a new senior high school open. The event is scheduled for April 5-7, 2002 at the Bob Carpenter Center on the campus of the University of Delaware.

The US Senior High School Open was created to give a greater number of high school senior wrestlers the opportunity to showcase their talents at a national level tournament. The NWCA has received commitments from over 60 colleges and universities to having a representative at the event. The tournament is open to any high school senior that has placed at any time in his high school state tournament or in one of Wrestling USA Magazine's top ten high school tournaments. A 32-person bracket will be filled on first come first serve basis. The top eight wrestlers in each weight class will be designated National High School All-Americans and receive medals.

The two top place winners at each weight class at the US Senior High School Open will receive funded access status, which allows for specialized training at the US Olympic Training Center, working with USA Wrestling's National Coaching Staff. The Champions at each weight class will be invited to USA Wrestling's 2008 Junior Olympic Camp, which features the nation's best stars by invitation only.

"The NWCA Board of Directors is very grateful for the generous support of USA Wrestling to this signature event. This is another great example of the wrestling community working together to strengthen amateur wrestling at all levels." Said NWCA Executive Director, Mike Moyer.

The scholastic duals, which was previously known as the Kellogg's Scholastic Duals has been one of the NWCA's signature events for the past seven years. The Scholastic Duals is a showcase for upcoming talent as no seniors are allowed to compete in this state versus state, folkstyle dual meet competition. The talent level of this signature scholastic event continues to strengthen each year as evidenced by last year's competition field of 49 high school state champions representing 78 high school state titles. Additionally, there were 87 state finalists entered into the event.

A highlight of the weekend of wrestling will be the coaches banquet held on Friday evening that will honor all NWCA Scholastic Award recipients. Headlining the banquet will be John Smith.

Smith is in his 10th year as Head Coach of Oklahoma State. He has led the Cowboys to four Big Twelve Championships and the 1994 NCAA Team Championship. He was also the 2000 US Olympic Coach that competed in Sydney, Australia. As a competitor, he is widely regarded as one of the nation's top wrestlers ever. His career included two Olympic gold medals, the coveted Sullivan Award and six straight World Championships. In addition, he was a two-time NCAA Champion for Oklahoma State.

For more information about the Brute NWCA/DWA US Senior Open and Scholastic Duals please visit us at our website at www.nwcaonline.com or call Pat Tocci at 717-653-8009. We hope that you can join us for this unprecedented event in April.

Marine Corps to pilot Leadership Development Program with the National Wrestling Coaches Association

By SSgt. Matt Olivolo
MPA, RS New York

The Marine Corps Recruiting Command in Quantico, Va. recently partnered with the National Wrestling Coaches Association to pilot a leadership development program for young men, women and coaches. The occasion was recognized at the NWCA All-Star Classic at Hofstra University, Long Island, N.Y. Monday, Jan. 28, 2002.
Leadership is a pillar among Marines and is a part of their everyday life. The NWCA leadership development program will focus on empowering high school and college coaches in developing the leadership abilities of the athletes, which will stay with them, post graduation and through their life.

The NWCA identified the leadership principles the Marine Corps lives by and would like to join forces.
"Wrestling coaches at every level are in the business of developing leaders," said Roger Reina, President of NWCA and head wrestling coach, University of Pennsylvania. "This is a great tie in with the experience of the Marine Corps leadership training. We feel we need to do a better job of teaching and leading, and with the help of the Corps we should accomplish this mission."

Prior to the wrestling tournament, guest speaker Lt. Gen. Martin R. Steele, President and CEO, Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in Manhattan made a few comments about why the Marine Corps is now involved in the NWCA.

"Wrestlers have a commitment to the sport which embodies everything a leader has such as hard work, resolve, dedication and commitment," explained Lt. Gen Steele. "This is a marriage made in heaven. Using the Marine Corps' leadership principals and traits, the coaches will be able to pass on to their athletes in which they will use in their everyday life. This is an extraordinary moment and an honor for the Corps to be involved with this organization. The ethic and spirit of the Corps is second to none"

At the tournament, college wrestlers from around the nation competed as Capt. Jay Antonelli, coach of the All Marine Wrestling Team, and All Marine Wrestler Sgt. Marcel Cooper looked on.

Antonelli was the assistant coach of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team. "This is an outstanding organization for the Marine Corps to be a part of," said Antonelli.

Marcel, the 2001 U.S. National Champion and Pan American Wrestling Champion explained how he felt the NWCA would benefit the Corps.

"This program can grow tremendously with the right planning, " said Cooper. "We can attend these tournaments across the nation and put on clinics before hand to interested athletes."

"Identifying the Marine Corps and wrestlers together is something I am pleased to see," said Cooper. "With the training Marines undergo and the training the wrestlers do, the mind set is the same, never give up."

"We are proud to be partners with a great organization like NWCA," said Antonelli. "The Marine Corps and the NWCA have a lot in common. He same hard work and determination it takes to excel as a wrestler are the same traits that make a good Marine."

All-Star Classic Update

Navy's Mark Conley has accepted an invitation to compete at the 2002
All-Star Classic at Hofstra University on January 28, 2002. The 4th ranked
Conley will replace Eric Larkin of Arizona State who pulled out of the meet
due to injury. Conley will meet Virginia Tech's Sean Gray at 141lbs.

NWCA Announces All-Star Classic Lineup
NCAA Champions Sanderson and Lockhart headline lineup

The National Wrestling Coaches Association is pleased to announce that a spectacular lineup of Division I wrestlers have accepted invitations to compete at the 2002 All-Star Classic. The 36th Annual All-Star Classic will take place at Hofstra Arena on the campus of Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York on January 28 at 7:00pm.

The All-Star Classic pits the nation's top collegiate wrestlers against each other in challenge matches often for the number one ranking in the country. This meet is often seen as a preview of the upcoming NCAA finals. At the 2001 All-Star Classic, held at Franklin and Marshall College, five participants later went onto capture NCAA titles in March.

This year's lineup will feature two past NCAA Champions and four current number one ranked wrestlers. Two of the feature matches will be between the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked wrestlers in the most recent Amateur Wrestling News individual rankings (149 and 197) and one match will be a repeat of last year's NCAA finals at HWT. The lineup is subject to change due to injury or other challenges.

Headlining the participants is three-time NCAA Champion Cael Sanderson of Iowa State University. Sanderson, who currently sports a 139-0 career record, is making his fourth consecutive appearance in the event. He will meet number two-ranked Jon Trenge of Lehigh. These two met earlier in the season at the Midlands Championship semifinals where Sanderson was victorious 16-5. John Lockhart of Illinois is the second 2001 NCAA Champion that will be competing at Hofstra. He will be wrestling #2 ranked Tommy Rowlands of Ohio State University. This will be a repeat of last year's NCAA Finals that Lockhart won in the tiebreaker.

The three additional number one ranked wrestlers competing in the event include: Eric Larkin of Arizona State at 141lbs, Mike Zadick of Iowa at 149lbs, Victor Sveda of Indiana at 184lbs. Zadick will meet Jamarr Billman of Lock Haven in the other one versus two match.

"On behalf of the NWCA Board of Directors, I would like to thank the athletes and coaches for competing in this signature event, we truly could not make these events a success without their support" stated Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association "We also greatly appreciate the relentless efforts of Hofstra University to ensure a memorable event for all those who attend."

Included in the lineup will be two local matches that will feature Hofstra University wrestlers. At 149lbs, Jason DeBruin will meet Jeremy Spates of Missouri while Chris Skretkowicz will meet Anthony Reynolds of Sacred Heart at 197lbs.

Tickets can be purchased for the NWCA All-Star Classic by calling the Hofstra Arena Box Office at (516) 463-6633 extension 1.
2002 All-Star Classic Lineup
January 28, 2002
Hofstra University

125 #3 Matt Ridings (Oklahoma) vs. #5 Ben Vombaur (Boise State)
133 #2 Johnny Thompson (Oklahoma State) vs.#3 Witt Durden (Oklahoma)
141 #1 Eric Larkin (Arizona State) vs. #3 Sean Gray (Virginia Tech)
149 #1 Mike Zadick (Iowa) vs. #2 Jamarr Billman (Lock Haven)
157 #2 Yoshi Nakamura (Penn) vs. #4 Shane Roller (Oklahoma State)
165 #2 Matt Lackey (Illinois) vs. #3 Tyrone Lewis (Oklahoma State)
174 #2 Otto Olson (Michigan) vs. #3 Rick Springman (Penn)
184 #1 Victor Sveda (Indiana) vs. #4 Andy Hrovat (Michigan)
197 #1 Cael Sanderson (Iowa State) vs. #2 Jon Trenge (Lehigh)
Hwt #2 Tommy Rowlands (Ohio State) vs. #3 John Lockhart (Illinois)
149 #14 Jason DeBruin (Hofstra) vs. #11 Jeremy Spates (Missouri)
197 #9 Chris Skretkowicz (Hofstra) vs. #16 Anthony Reynolds (Sacred Heart)
Note: Rankings are Amateur Wrestling News as of January 15

Coaches: Mark Johnson (Illinois), Joe McFarland (Michigan), Mark Ostrander (Iowa Central) and Mike Ritchie (Southern Oregon)

Wrestling Coaches Group Sues Government Over Enforcement of Discrimination Law
Wednesday, January 16, 2002

WASHINGTON " A federal law credited with transforming women's athletics causes discrimination against men in lower-profile college sports such as wrestling and track, coaches and athletes allege in a lawsuit against the government.

The suit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia largely blames a 1996 rule clarifying the 1972 statute known as Title IX, which prohibits any school or college that receives federal funding from discriminating based on sex in sports or academics.
Because nearly all the nation's schools receive some federal aid, the law has had a dramatic impact, particularly on women's athletics.

Federal regulations say schools can comply with Title IX's guarantee of equal treatment for female athletes in a number of ways: by showing that opportunities for women are "substantially proportionate" to their enrollment, that opportunities correspond to the level of students' interest, or that new teams are being added. A 1996 clarification of those rules said, in part, that actual athletes would be counted rather than simply spots allotted to teams.

The suit against the Education Department, financed by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, contends that as a result of those rules and court decisions interpreting them, many colleges and universities have come to see trimming men's sports -- rather than adding women's teams -- as the only way to achieve equality.
Over the last decade, 350 men's programs have been cut, said Eric Pearson, an NWCA co-chairman. Those losses have come mostly in sports that don't bring in revenue, such as swimming, wrestling, track-and-field and gymnastics and have prevailed in some cases despite offers from alumni and parents to take over funding of the sports, Pearson said.

Numerous lawsuits have been filed against individual schools for such decisions, all unsuccessful.
But the NWCA suit challenges the rules themselves, arguing they were adopted illegally. It asks the court to force the department to write new ones defining compliance as providing opportunities for female athletes based on interest instead of enrollment.

 

"Capping a male athlete off a team or cutting an entire men's team solely because not enough female students have an interest in athletics is gender discrimination per se -- with absolutely no corresponding benefit to women," the suit says.
The Education Department, through a spokesman, said it could not comment on pending litigation.
But Marcia Greenberger, co-president of the National Women's Law Center, said the law's requirements are not as rigid as the NWCA claims. Several studies, in fact, have shown that the majority of schools come into compliance without cutting men's teams or relying on comparisons to enrollment, and that men's participation in athletics has increased as well.

Greenberger suggested the blame lies not with Title IX as the suit argues, but with schools' decisions to place a priority on popular moneymaking sports like football and basketball.
"There has been a concerted effort to weaken Title IX ... since the very day it was passed," she said. "This is part of a longtime effort that fortunately has never borne fruit."
The government has 60 days to respond.

Wrestling alumni back Title IX fight

On December 13, 2002 alumni from EIWA schools met with NWCA leadership at the New York Athletic Club to learn about the Washington, D.C. based efforts to change the current enforcement of Title IX. Present at the event were alumni from Princeton, Columbia, Penn, Yale, Syracuse, and William and Mary. Pledges were made to help fund a lawsuit filed against the Department of Education by the NWCA. Bucknell, Marquette, and Yale Wrestling are named as co-plaintiffs in the suit.

The following is from today's press release:

Federal Lawsuit Challenges Title IX Enforcement

Wrestlers Confront Department of Education

WASHINGTON, D.C. _ January 16, 2002 _ In what could be the strongest challenge ever brought against the way the Department of Education interprets and enforces Title IX, a lawsuit was filed in federal court today that seeks to protect collegiate athletic programs from being eliminated due to Title IX actions.

The suit, filed by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, alleges that in 1996 the Department of Education unlawfully altered the way it interprets Title IX. That improper rulemaking and its enforcement have led to the arbitrary elimination of hundreds of athletic programs at schools across the country, costing student-athletes both scholarships and their opportunity to compete. NWCA seeks to restore Title IX to its original intent _ providing equal opportunity without discriminating against any student-athlete.

'We hope this lawsuit will lead to a more reasonable way to enforce Title IX, one that protects women without harming men,' said Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the NWCA. 'Students across the country are having their athletic dreams taken from them and their academic lives turned upside down.'

'Title IX is a good law, poorly regulated,' said Eric Pearson, NWCA's Title IX committee Co-Chair. 'Men and women should both have every opportunity to compete intercollegiate sports and that_s the part of Title IX that we all applaud. The current system of enforcement is a de facto gender quota and has resulted in wholesale destruction of Olympic sports programs at the college level.'

Additional Background and Sources: www.savingsports.com

2002 Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals Set for Ohio State
Brackets to be released Sunday evening

The 2002 Cliff Keen/NWCA National Dual Meet Championships are set for January 19-20, on the campus of Ohio State University. The NWCA is excited to announce the brackets for this year's championships will be released on Sunday evening, January 13.

The 2002 Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals will feature a new format, as NCAA Division I, II and III will all conduct their own 16-team individual dual meet championships concurrently at Ohio State. The championships will consist of 90 dual meets on 12 mats over two days at St. John's Arena and French Field House. In what will be the highlight of the weekend, the championship finals of all three divisions will be run simultaneously in St. John's Arena.

The national dual meet championships were first held in 1989 after being founded by John Graham. Graham, who is the originator of the Virginia Duals, founded the duals after seeing there was a need to crown a national dual meet champion in wrestling. He started the national duals as an extension of his own Virginia Duals. In 1992, the NWCA assumed the management of the national duals and it has since become one of the signature events of the organization. It was at this time, the NWCA board of directors voted to recognize one of the great pioneers of the sport, Cliff Keen by naming the event in his honor. The national duals became known as the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals. Keen, was one of the original founders of the NWCA in 1938 and was the president for the first five years.

To generate excitement and preview upcoming matches at the national duals, the NWCA will be conducting the seeding and pairings for the 2002 Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals on Sunday evening. The official brackets for all three divisions will be released on www.nwcaonline.com at approximately 9:00 pm EST. Please visit the website that evening to get all the information you need including pairings and match times. An official release will be sent out that Monday (January 14).

The NWCA and LiveSportsVideo.com have teamed up to web cast live the national duals. The entire Division I tournament on Saturday and Sunday and the Division II and III placing matches on Sunday will be web casted live. These matches will also be available on archives for future reference. This is a great opportunity for all wrestling fans that cannot attend the duals to be able to still view this marquee event. For more information on the live web cast make sure to visit www.nwcaonline.com.

The field for the Division I tournament will include six of the top seven teams from last year's NCAA Championships. Those teams include Defending NCAA and Duals Champion, Minnesota, along with Iowa, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Iowa State and Michigan. The remainder of the field includes: Central Michigan, Michigan State, Northern Iowa, Ohio State, Penn, Lehigh, Loch Haven, Edinboro, Arizona State and Fresno State.

The 16 schools for the Division II field includes two-time defending champions North Dakota State. The rest of the field includes Central Oklahoma, South Dakota State, Ashland, Central Washington, Chadron State, Central Missouri, Augustana College, Nebraska-Omaha, Gannon, Findlay, Pittsburgh-Johnstown, St. Cloud State, Carson-Newman, American International and San Francisco State.

The Division III field includes: Defending National Champions Augsburg, Buena Vista, Delaware Valley, Ithaca, John Carroll, Kings, LaCrosse, Luther, Lycoming, Montclair State, Ohio Northern, Springfield, The College of New Jersey, Thiel, Upper Iowa and Wartburg College.

For more information about the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals including tickets and match times to visit www.nwcaonline.com or the official Ohio State University website.

Two hour delayed Live Web Cast Iowa vs. Oklahoma State
Friday January 11, 2002 9:00 PM Central Standard Time

Livesportsvideo.com along with the premier Internet Magazine, Intermatwrestle.com and the leader in televised wrestling productions, Iowa Public Television continue to bring the worlds greatest sport to fans around the world by web casting the toughest duals of the 2001/2002 schedule.

We will be web casting the best dual meet of the year between Iowa and Oklahoma State on Friday January 11, 2002 at 9:00 PM Central Standard Time. The match will be on a two-hour delay at the request of the University of Iowa.

View or listen to the match at <livesportsvideo.com> or connect through <intermatwrestle.com>. You can purchase the match for $9.99 or wait three days and purchase the archived version for $6.99.

Livesportsvideo.com, Intermatwrestle.com and Iowa Public Television are working very hard to bring the wrestling fan the very best in competition from around the world. We believe that this new technology will help the sport of wrestling to grow at an amazing pace.

Take advantage of this opportunity and support this effort to use this new technology to showcase the greatest sport on earth to every fan everywhere.

Please go to the sites listed above to view the test video. We would also like to tell you that if you cannot get the video due to lack of DSL, T-One or Cable you will find our audio to be the best in the business. Even better quality than Internet radio. You will experience no buffering and crystal clear sound quality.

For questions or comments please contact Ross Aguiar at feldmeiernv@mindspring.com or call at 775-575-7447

Please continue to check the <livesportsvideo.com> site for upcoming events.

LIVESPORTSVIDEO.COM WITH THE NWCA
PRESS RELEASE
JANUARY 7, 2002

LIVESPORTSVIDEO.COM is proud to announce that the National Wrestling Coaches Association has chosen Live Sports Video.com to web cast the National College Duals Championships and the College All Star Meet. These are two of college wrestling's premier events. Now they will be web cast live and archived for a full year on Livesportsvideo.com. These events will be offered as a pay per view for both the live and the archived versions.
Pricing Structure:
Package of both the National Duals and the All Star matches: $15.00
National Duals Only (Championships and Consolation Championships) $12.00
All Star Match: $8.00
Archived version: (prices separately) $6.00
Please go to <livesportsvideo.com> to see the viewing requirements
Please be advised that even if you do not have a DSL or high-speed access you can still listen to the audio version. The audio is the finest anywhere and is not the same as internet radio web broadcast. There will be no buffering.
Questions or comments to Ross Aguiar <feldmeiernv@mindspring.com
775-575-7447
National College Duals Championships January 19 & 20, 2002
See the best in college wrestling from all three divisions live or on archive on <livesportsvideo.com>. This is extremely exciting since so many teams are in the hunt for the Division One National title. If you are a fan of wrestling you cannot miss this opportunity to view these matches.

National Duals web casting Schedule January 19, 2002:
9:00 AM EST. 1st session Division One Mats 1,2,3,4
11:00 AM EST. 1st session Division One Mats 5,6,7,8
1:00 PM EST. Quarter Finals Division One Mats 1&2
1:00 PM EST. 1st Round of Consolation Division One Mats 3&4
3:00 PM EST. Quarter Finals Division One Mats 1&2
3:00 PM EST. 1st Round of Consolation Division One Mats 3&4
5:00 PM EST. 2nd Round of Consolation Division Mats 1, 2, 3 &4
8:30 PM EST. Semi Final Rounds Division One Mats 1 & 2
8:30 PM EST. Third Round Consolation Division Mats 3 & 4

National Duals Web Casting Schedule January 20, 2002:
9:00 AM EST. Quarter Finals Consolation Division One and Two Mats 1.2.3 &4
11:00 AM EST. Seventh Place Matches all divisions Mats 1,2,3 & 4
1:00 PM EST. Fifth Place Matches all divisions Mats 1,2,3, &4
3:00 PM EST. Championships all Divisions Mats 1,2 & 3
3:00 PM EST. Consolation Championships Division One Mat 4
LIVESPORTSVIDEO.COM WITH THE NWCA
PRESS RELEASE
January 7, 2002

The NWCA All Star match will be hosted by Hofstra University on January 28, 2002 at 7:00 PM EST.

The National Wrestling Coaches Association picks the best two wrestlers in the country from each weight class from Division One to compete against each other. This marquee event is a prelude to the NCAA National Championships. The competition is fierce and will be web cast live from Livesportsvideo.com. The match will also be archived for one year. Please visit our site at <livesportsvideo.com> and sign up for the matches right now.

PRICING STRUCTURE:
Package deal with both the All Star Match and the National Duals: $15.00
All Star Match only: $8.00
Archived Version: $6.00

For Questions or comments please contact Ross Aguiar at <feldmeiernv@mindspring.com or 775-575-7447