Kyle Keller is a three-time qualifier for the Ohio High School Athletic Association state wrestling tournament and two-time all-state performer.

And the 17-year-old Delta High School junior credits a busy off-season, including competing in the National United Wrestling Association for Youth (NUWAY), for helping him excel on the mats in one of the toughest states for high school wrestling.

“I love wrestling in OURWAY (NUWAY’s Ohio association) and NUWAY,” Keller said. “I remember my first tournament in fifth or sixth grade, I took second.”

Keller also remembers his last NUWAY tournament wrestled — that came in the NUWAY National finals last month at Battle Creek, Michigan’s Kellogg Arena.

He won a national title by wrestling his way through a tough Division 7 122-pound bracket.

“At NUWAY, my first two matches were against the kids who took second and third because it was round robin,” Keller said. “It was tough tournament.”

And that is why Keller says wrestling in NUWAY with the competition from top-level wrestlers from other states has helped improve his skills on the mat.

“You get some competition there that you will never wrestle in high school,” Keller said. “You usually have to battle every match.”

It’s that reason NUWAY president Dave Dean and Roger Chandler have put so much effort into building this association of folkstyle wrestling to what it has become today.

Dean and Chandler started the idea in the state of Michigan, but NUWAY has grown into a national association which has 12 active states, and 22 total, competing in state and regional-level events.

Caiden Hart (right) of Ohio lost a first-round match, but came back to win three consolation bouts and finish sixth at 62 pounds in Division 3 of the 2013 NUWAY Nationals in Battle Creek, Mich.

And at this year’s nationals, 1,009 wrestlers competed in seven divisions, the most in the five years of the national tournament.

“We grew by a good number this year, 150 more participants,” Dean said. “That had to do with the growth of some of our state associations like North Carolina, South Carolina and New Jersey, they had a strong showing. Our numbers from Indiana, Ohio and Michigan were strong because of location, but states that are farther out are showing more support.”

OURWAY director Randy Hartman loves how NUWAY has grown, especially the tournament.

“I like the concept of making it a true national tournament,” Hartman said. “You have to qualify in your state for Nationals. You have to earn it.”

This year, Ohio had over 1,200 wrestlers wrestle in its OURWAY tournament.

Dean hopes to have those kinds of numbers throughout the country, giving kids all around the country the ability to compete in the great sport of wrestling.

“We do have more projects in the works, in business you always have a contingency plan,” Dean said. “Because you do run into situations, and you get older and wiser. We want to do more around the country, continue to grow.”

Keller gives it his stamp of approval.

“It helps me a lot for high school,” Keller said. “Getting as much mat time in the off-season helps me stay in shape, learn how to win the matches I need to win and just battling.”

In early April, Michael awoke in the middle of the night to light the pilot light for the heater in his camper when a propane leak caused the entire unit to explode and erupt into flames … resulting in second and third degree burns to 80 percent of his body.

Michael Martinez qualified four times to the NCAA tournament for Wyoming

Alone and isolated on his family’s ranch, he extinguished the flames on his body, got in his truck and drove himself to reach help. He was then life-flighted to a trauma and burn center in Albuquerque, N. M., where he spent three weeks. Michael is now at home, but his road to recovery is far from over.

Michael graduated from the University of Wyoming last spring and has been working in construction, ranching and as a volunteer wrestling coach. However, he was without insurance at the time of the accident.

The medical bills involved in an accident of this scale will be extremely daunting, and a fund has been set up, with the help of Michael’s family, to reduce the burden Michael and his family will be facing. Michael is as self reliant as they come, but those who care about him are sharing his story in hopes that individuals in the wrestling community will be compelled to lend a hand.

For more information on how to contribute to the Michael Martinez Donation Fund, please visit:  www.michaelmartinezfund.com.

I had a real privilege on Sunday, May 5, in Ithaca, N.Y. Representing WIN Magazine and Dan Hodge Trophy founder Mike Chapman, I joined Neil Duncan and Nick Gallo from Presenting Sponsor ASICS on the campus of Cornell University to present the 19^th annual Dan Hodge Trophy to four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake of Cornell.

Kyle Dake (second from left) received the Hodge Trophy from WIN publisher Bryan Van Kley (second from right) and ASICS Neil Duncan (left) and Nick Gallo.

As is the tradition with the Hodge Trophy presentation each spring, the award was presented publically at the team’s end-of-the-season wrestling banquet. Duncan and Gallo run TW Promotions, the Wrestling Agency for ASICS. The award was given in front of approximately 175 people at the Cornell banquet on that Sunday afternoon.

Dake got 39 of 43 first-place ballots from the Hodge Trophy Voting Committee for wrestling’s top honor in late March. Commonly referred to as the “Heisman Trophy of College Wrestling”, Dake won the award over Penn State’s Ed Ruth, Oklahoma State’s Jordan Oliver and Ohio State’s Logan Stieber. Ruth, Oliver and Stieber finished second through fourth, respectively, in the balloting in total points. The two-time NCAA champ from Penn State received the other four first-place votes.

Duncan addressed the Big Red supporters first during the Hodge presentation. He stressed to the crowd the significance of Dake’s four titles at four different weights, referring to the unique wrestling record as one he thought would never be matched again in college wrestling.

Gallo, named OW at the NCAA Championships in 1977 while competing for Hofstra, got the crowd laughing by saying he was just happy Dake wasn’t in his weight class.

I then followed up Duncan and Gallo by reminding the roomful of Dake fans, coaches, teammates and family members that sometimes you don’t recognize true “greatness” as much as you should when you’re so close to it.

Dake, who grew up just minutes down the road in Ithaca, where he graduated from Lansing High School, gave them and all of wrestling a front-row seat to history by being so available to the media and his fans. He also did this by being transparent in regards to his perspective on pursuing history and the record fourth title.

I stressed that in sports like wrestling, which doesn’t get as much main-stream media coverage, elite wrestlers like Dake don’t get the recognition that they would as if they were the star quarterback of a big-time college football program which had numerous national media chronicling his story.

I ended the short speech before announcing Dake as the winner by referencing a quote from the 2004 movie “Troy” about arguably the most famous warrior of all time, Achilles, played by Brad Pitt.

Pitt’s character Achilles was asked, “What do you want?”

Achilles answered, “I want what all men want: fame and glory. I just want it more.”

Dake was able to reel off the four titles through sheer determination, goal setting and an “exclusively positive mindset” he got from his parents early in childhood and by simply wanting it more than anyone else.

It was an incredibly memorable trip. Leaving the unseasonably late snowfall in central Iowa, it also was a beautiful weekend, weather wise, in up-state New York. And seeing Cornell’s multi-million dollar wrestling-only Friedman Wrestling Center, it was obvious I was in an area and at a school which highly valued wrestling.

Nestled into the New York hills overlooking a lake, this Ivy League school, which now has a very strong wrestling tradition, has quite a product to sell top recruits. But the fundraising to create the Friedman Center, the groundswell of support and the program’s strong reputation of success on the mat, is mostly tied to the momentum created by head coach Rob Koll. The Big Red head man just finished his 20^th season as the program’s coach.

It’s important to remember that when Koll took over the program, critics said it was impossible to create a national college wrestling powerhouse in Ithaca. Now, some of those same critics are saying…. “But look what he has to work with.”

Gallo, Duncan and myself left Ithaca after hearing the speeches of the team and coaches sensing what a family atmosphere has been developed. The wrestlers and coaches were constantly giving each other a hard time, and seem to really enjoy being around each. Several said wrestling for Cornell was the highlight of their life.

It was truly an enjoyable weekend, and fun to be at a place where wrestling is so truly alive and well. I left there with a renewed sense of optimism that with strong leadership, wrestling can thrive almost anywhere.

To say the 138-pound class is one of this year’s most crowded weight classes is an understatement.

                It’s a weight class where we see superstars of all sizes, including Joey Dance of Christiansburg (Va.) and Dalton Brady of Chandler (Ariz.), actual 126-pounders who went to 138 to win their fourth titles in their respective states.

Also found here are wrestlers who became trapped in the numbers game. One such wrestler was Demechico Spraggins of Belleville (Ill.) West. He burst onto the Assembly Hall stage as a freshman, breezing to the 3A state finals at 103. Three years later, “Meech” was still looking for his first state title after a second runner-up finish as a sophomore and a fourth-place finish as a junior.

So what did he do?

Already fabulously athletic, Spraggins worked hard to improve his conditioning, and it paid off. He beat two-time Kentucky champion Jayce Carr of Morganfield Union County in January, earned a scholarship from Arizona State University and won one of the deepest weight classes in Illinois, finishing with a 49-1 record by outworking his opponents.

In the USA Wrestling/Cliff Keen Dream Team Classic Apr. 20, Spraggins scored an 8-5 victory over four-time Minnesota champion Mitch Bengtson of St. Cloud Apollo. The win was one of five victories recorded by the host Illinois squad in a 27-16 loss. More importantly, Spraggins burst into the final WIN rankings, settling in at No. 17.

It’s safe to say that the Sun Devils should benefit from one of Illinois’ best-kept secrets.

Retherford vs. Tuma: what’s in a ranking?

Since his victories in the Cadet World Championships and the Junior National Freestyle Championships last summer, Zain Retherford’s reign at No. 1 has been a fait accompli. And the Benton (Pa.) standout strengthened his grip with victories in the Super 32, the Walsh Ironman, the AA state tournament, capping a 47-0 season, and the Dapper Dan Classic in Pittsburgh, where he was voted the Outstanding Wrestler for the Pennsylvania team.

But, for all of those honors, does the Penn State University recruit really have the best resume? That’s debatable.

Three-time Idaho champion Hayden Tuma of Boise Centennial, still just a junior, can make a case of his own. Tuma capped a 41-0 season by pinning his way through the state tournament for the second straight year.

Tuma is one of just two active high-school wrestlers nationally who have won titles at all four of USA Wrestling’s elite age group events: the Cadet Nationals, the Junior Nationals, the FILA Cadet Nationals and the FILA Junior Nationals. The other: four-time Michigan heavyweight champion Adam Coon of Fowlerville, ranked No. 1 at that weight class.

The tale of the tape:

Cadet Nationals:  Tuma, two titles (one in each style) and three finals appearances; Retherford, one fifth-place finish.

Junior Nationals: Tuma, one Greco-Roman title and one freestyle third-place finish; Retherford, one freestyle title. Tuma’s placings came at a higher weight class.

FILA Cadet Nationals: Tuma, two Greco-Roman titles and one freestyle third-place finish; Retherford, one freestyle title.

FILA Junior Nationals: Tuma, one Greco-Roman title and one freestyle fifth-place finish. Both came last month.

Do the math and Tuma holds a convincing 6-2 edge in the big stop signs. Among the wrestlers both have beaten: four-time New Jersey champion Anthony Ashnault of South Plainfield and two-time Junior National champion Zane Richards, who just completed his freshman season at the University of Illinois.

Food for thought.

But organizers of these two events are also hoping the executive board of the International Olympic Committee will be taking notice of the events — which unite countries with politically-opposite goals — as the international wrestling community fights to keep its sport in the Olympics past the 2016 Games in Rio.

Both events are also part of World Wrestling Month, declared by the international wrestling federation (FILA).

The following is a breakdown of each event, based on releases from USA Wrestling:

“Rumble on the Rails” in New York City, May 15

           The line-ups for the United States and Russia for “The Rumble On The Rails” at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal in New York City on May 15 have been released.

Three of the world’s top powers, Iran, the United States and Russia will come together in solidarity in this historic wrestling event. The competition will be held alongside the annual Beat the Streets Awards Gala, which will be held following the competition at Bryant Park Grill. A ticket will be required for both the competition and the Gala.

There will be two dual meets as part of this spectacular event. First, the USA will battle Iran in men’s freestyle wrestling at 3:30 p.m. Later, the USA takes on Russia in a match featuring all three Olympic styles at 6:00 p.m.

In the men’s freestyle dual against Iran, the team is led by 2009 World bronze medalist and 2012 Olympian Tervel Dlagnev at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Past U.S. World Team members competing against Iran are Obe Blanc at 55 kg/121 lbs., Reece Humphrey at 60 kg/132 lbs. and J.D. Bergman at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Rounding out the U.S. line-up is college wrestling superstar Kyle Dake at 74 kg/163 lbs. Recently named the 2013 Dan Hodge Trophy winner, Dake became the first wrestler to win four NCAA Div. I titles in four different weight classes, competing for Cornell. He was also fourth at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

The men’s freestyle team against Russia is also high powered, led by 2012 Olympic champion and 2011 World champion Jordan Burroughs at 74 kg/163 lbs. and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott at 60 kg/132 lbs. Burroughs, who won his third U.S. Open title this year, has a 52-0 record on the Senior level in freestyle.

Also on the team is 2010 U.S. World Team member Brent Metcalf at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. The other two competitors are top college stars, two-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber at 60 kg/132 lbs. and NCAA champion David Taylor at 74 kg/163 lbs. Stieber is a past Junior World silver medalist.

Those who wish to see this event or to participate in the Awards Gala must purchase a ticket in advance at www.beat-the-streets.org.

“UNITED 4 WRESTLING” at Los Angeles, May 19

At the friendly dual meet in Los Angeles, both the USA and Iranian line-ups are filled with past Olympic and World Championship medalists, making this truly a match featuring many of the world’s best wrestlers.

The United States team in Los Angeles is led by a pair of 2012 Olympic medalists, Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott at 60 kg/132 lbs.

Two other 2012 Olympians are on the U.S. roster: Tervel Dlagnev at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. and Sam Hazewinkel at 55 kg/121 lbs. Dlagnev was a 2009 World silver medalist, and placed fifth at both the 2012 Olympics and the 2011 World Championships. He is a past University World champion. Hazewinkel was one of the nation’s best Greco-Roman wrestlers before he made the switch to freestyle in 2009. His father and his uncle were two-time Olympians.

The other three U.S. athletes were runners-up at the recent U.S. Open: Jordan Oliver at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Clayton Foster at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Chris Pendleton at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. All three were college stars at national power Oklahoma State, with Oliver and Pendleton both winning two NCAA titles and Foster placing second at the NCAAs. Pendleton is a native Californian, having wrestled for Lemoore High School in Lemoore, Calif., where he was a 2000 California high school state champion.

Some of these match-ups are classic showdowns. The match at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. between Dlagnev and Ghasemi is a rematch of the 2012 Olympic bronze-medal match, won by Ghasemi. Two of the other matches feature battles between 2012 Olympians: Hazewinkel vs. Rahimi at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Scott vs. Esmailpour at 60 kg/132 lbs. Every match features two talented international wrestlers, and each of the competitors is capable of giving the fans a tremendous display of wrestling.

Tickets for “United 4 Wrestling” are available at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, and by phone at 1-800-745-3000. The LA Sports Arena box office hours are weekdays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

THE RUMBLE ON THE RAILS”
USA VS. IRAN VS. RUSSIA
At Grand Central Terminal, New York, N.Y., May 15

3:30 p.m. – USA vs. Iran, at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal
5:00 p.m. – Beat the Streets youth exhibition matches at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal
6:00 p.m. – USA vs. Russia at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal
8:00 p.m. – Beat the Streets Awards Gala at Bryant Park Grill

U.S. men’s freestyle roster against Iran
55 kg/121 lbs. – Obe Blanc, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy-Titan Mercury RTC)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Reece Humphrey, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Michigan RTC)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Kyle Dake, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC/Finger Lakes WC)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Keith Gavin, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC)

U.S. men’s freestyle roster against Russia
60 kg/132 lbs. – Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy-Titan Mercury RTC)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Logan Stieber, Monroeville, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC)
74 kg/163 lbs. – David Taylor, St. Paris, Ohio (Nittany Lion WC)

U.S. Greco-Roman roster against Russia
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Kendrick Sanders, Homestead, Fla. (New York AC/USOEC)
74 kg /163 lbs. – Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)

U.S. women’s freestyle roster against Russia
55 kg/121 lbs. – Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (New York AC)

RUSSIA LINE-UPS
Men’s freestyle
60 kg/132 lbs. – Opan Sat
60 kg/132 lbs. – Artas Sanaa
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Soslan Ramonov
74 kg/163 lbs. – Rasul Dzhukaev
74 kg/163 lbs. – Saba Khubetzhty
Greco-Roman
66 kg/145.5 lbs – Asker Orshokdugov
74 kg/163 lbs. – Ambako Vachadze
84 kg/185 lbs. – Evgeni Saleev
Women’s freestyle
55 kg/121 lbs. – Irina Kisel

IRAN LINE-UP
Men’s freestyle
55 kg/121 lbs. – Hassan Rahimi
60 kg/132 lbs. – Masoud Esmailpour Jouybari
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Mehdi Taghavi Kermani
74 kg/163 lbs. – Hassan Tahmasebi
84 kg/185 lbs. – Ehsan Lashgari
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Hamed Tatari
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Komeil Ghasemi

“UNITED 4 WRESTLING” USA VS. IRAN DUAL SCHEDULE
At Los Angeles, May 19
2 p.m. – USA vs. Iran, Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena

MATCH-UPS FOR THE USA VS. IRAN DUAL MEET ON MAY 19
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sam Hazewinkel (USA) vs. Hassan Rahimi (Iran)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Coleman Scott (USA) vs. Masoud Esmailpour Jouybari (Iran)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Jordan Oliver (USA) vs. Mehdi Taghavi Kermani (Iran)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Jordan Burroughs (USA) vs. Hassan Tahmasebi (Iran)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Clayton Foster (USA) vs. Ehsan Lashgari (Iran)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Chris Pendleton (USA) vs. Hamed Tatari (Iran)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tervel Dlagnev (USA) vs. Komeil Ghasemi (Iran)

106 pounds
Rk. Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment
1.     Nick Suriano    Fr    Oradell, NJ Bergen Catholic
2.     Luke Pletcher    Fr    Greater Latrobe, PA
3.     Rudy Yates    Fr    Chicago, IL Brother Rice
4.     Jack Mueller    Fr    Dallas, TX Trinity Christian A.
5.     Kyle Bierdumpfel    Fr    Ramsey, NJ Don Bosco Prep.
6.     Jose Rodriguez    So    Massillon, OH Perry
7.     Austin Assad    So    Broadview Heights, OH Brecksville
8.     Adrian Camposano    Jr    Fresno, CA Central
9.    Chad Red    Fr    New Palestine, IN
10.     Miguel Silva    Jr    Plainfield, IL South
11.     Devin Brown    So    Saegertown, PA
12.     Luke Karam    Fr    Bethlehem, PA Catholic
13.     Gionn Peralta    Jr    Vacaville, CA
14.    Christian Moody    So    Collinsville, OK
15.     Vincent Elizalde    Jr    Brawley, CA
16.    Nkosi Moody    Sr    Olympia Fields, IL Rich Central
17.     Eli Stickley    So    St. Paris, OH Graham
18.     Tommy Aloi    Sr    Woodbridge, VA Forest Park
19.     Ariel Dominguez    Sr    Kissimmee, FL Osceola
20.     Geoff Doback    Fr    Brandon, FL

113 pounds
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment  
1.     Zahid Valencia    So    Bellflower, CA St. John Bosco
2.     Stevan Micic    Jr    Cedar Lake, IN Hanover Central
3.     Sean Russell    Jr    Suwanee, GA Collins Hill
4.     Brent Fleetwood    Jr    Smyrna, DE
5.    Ke-Shawn Hayes    So    Kansas City, MO Park Hill
6.    Davion Jeffries    So    Collinsville, OK
7.     Kaid Brock    So    Stillwater, OK
8.     Jaret Singh    Sr    Kearney, MO
9.     Ethan Lizak    Jr    Orefield, PA Parkland
10.     Zach Fuentes    Sr    Norristown, PA    Drexel
11.     Scott Parker    Jr    Perkasie, PA Pennridge
12.     Israel Saavedra    Fr    Modesto, CA
13.    Skyler Petry    Jr    Janesville, MN J.-W-P/W-El-M
14.     Nathan Boston    Jr    Versailles, KY Woodford County
15.     Nick Piccinini    So    Setauket, NY Ward Melville
16.     Sean Williams    Sr    Lemoore, CA    Oklahoma
17.    Jarred Oftedahl    Sr    Golden Valley, MN B-St. Marg.    St. Cloud State
18.    Paul Mascarenas    Sr    Rio Rancho, NM Cleveland    South Dakota State
19.     Charles Tucker    So    Blairstown Township, NJ Blair Academy
20.     Cameron Sykora    So    Wheaton, MN Border West

120 pounds
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment  
1.     Nathan Tomasello    Sr    Cuyahoga Falls, OH C. Valley A.    Ohio State
2.     Matthew Kolodzik    So    Blairstown Township, NJ Blair A.
3.     Tommy Thorn    Jr    Albertville, MN St. Michael-Alb.
4.     Sam Krivus    So    Greensburg, PA Hempfield
5.     Josh Alber    Jr    Dakota, IL
6.     Darian Cruz    Sr    Bethlehem, PA Catholic    Lehigh
7.     Johnny Jimenez    Jr    Aurora, IL Marmion Academy
8.     Coy Ozias    Jr    Christiansburg, VA
9.     Barlow McGhee    Sr    Rock Island, IL    Missouri
10.     Ronnie Bresser    Sr    Klamath Falls, OR Henley
11.    Ryan Millhof    Jr    Suwanee, GA Collins Hill
12.    Jared Prince    So    Palm Harbor, FL University
13.     Mason Pengilly    Jr    Porterville, CA
14.     Isaiah Locsin    Jr    Morgan Hill, CA Live Oak
15.     Jonas Gaytan    Sr    Clovis, CA
16.     Dalton Macri    Jr    Canonsburg, PA Canon-McMillan
17.    Brandon Thompson    Sr    Solon, OH
18.    Boo Lewallen    So    Yukon, OK
19.     James Flint    Jr    Brandon, FL
20.     Kevin Jack    Jr    Danbury, CT

126 pounds
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment  
1.     Jered Cortez    Jr    Carol Stream, IL Glenbard North
2.     Conner Schram    Sr    Canonsburg, PA Canon-McMillan    Stanford
3.     Ryan Diehl    Sr    Camp Hill, PA Trinity    Maryland
4.     Zac Hall    Jr    St. Johns, MI
5.     Brock Ervin    Jr    Morganfield, KY Union County
6.     Michael Kemerer    So    Murrysville, PA Franklin Regional
7.     Fredy Stroker    So    Bettendorf, IA
8.     Ivan McClay    Sr    Massillon, OH Washington
9.     Nate Limmex    So    Grand Rapids, MI Catholic Central
10.     Zeke Moisey    Jr    Bethlehem, PA Catholic
11.     Jordan Northrup    Sr    Machesney Park, IL Harlem
12.     Brad Perkins    Sr    Kansas City, MO Oak Park    Harvard
13.     DeShun Brown    Sr    Albuquerque, NM West Mesa    Arizona State
14.     Zack Nelson    Sr    Apple Creek, OH Waynedale
15.     Johnny Parada    Jr    San Fernando, CA
16.     Michael Knoblauch    Jr    Fresno, CA Clovis West
17.     Isaiah White    Fr    Oak Park, IL O.P.-River Forest
18.     Nate Thomas    Sr    Kasson, MN K.-Mantorville    Minnesota
19.     Anthony Giraldo    Jr    North Bergen, NJ
20.     Jordan Shearer    So    West Fargo, ND
132 pounds
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment 
1.     Aaron Pico    Fr    Bellflower, CA St. John Bosco
2.     Micah Jordan    Jr    St. Paris, OH Graham
3.     Dean Heil    Sr    Lakewood, OH St. Edward    Oklahoma State
4.     Jacob Schmitt    Sr    St. Johns, MI    Northwestern
5.     Scott DelVecchio    Sr    South Plainfield, NJ    NC State
6.    Jason Nolf    Jr    Kittanning, PA
7.     Joey McKenna    Jr    Blairstown Township, NJ Blair Academy
8.     Cody LeCount    Jr    Indianapolis, IN Perry Meridian
9.     Javier Gasca    Sr    Kingsburg, CA    Michigan State
10.     Colton Adams    Jr    Scottsbluff, NE
11.     Dennis Gustafson    Sr    Woodbridge, VA Forest Park    Virginia Tech
12.     Paul Fox    Jr    Gilroy, CA
13.     Brandon Jeske    Sr    Virginia Beach, VA Frank W. Cox    Old Dominion
14.     George Fisher    Sr    Aurora, IL Marmion Academy    Michigan
15.     Andrew Atkinson    Sr    Lynchburg, VA Liberty Christian Academy    Virginia
16.     J.R. Wert    Sr    Christiansburg, VA    Rider
17.     R.Rodriguez-Spencer Jr    Cheektowaga, NY
18.     Josh Terao    Jr    Honolulu, HI Mid-Pacific Institute
19.     Colton McCrystal    Sr    Sergeant Bluff, IA S.B.-Luton    Nebraska
20.     Seth Gross    Jr    Apple Valley, MN

138 pounds
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment
1.     Zain Retherford    Sr    Benton, PA    Penn State
2.     Hayden Tuma    Jr    Boise, ID Centennial
3.     Anthony Ashnault    Sr    South Plainfield, NJ    Rutgers
4.     Kevin Norstrem    Sr    Brandon, FL    Virginia Tech
5.     Joey Dance    Sr    Christiansburg, VA    Virginia Tech
6.     Tyler Berger    Jr    Hermiston, OR
7.     Alfred Bannister    Jr    Forestville, MD Bishop McNamara
8.     Mitch Bengtson    Sr    St. Cloud, MN Apollo    North Dakota State
9.     Logan Massa    So    St. Johns, MI
10.     Daniel Lewis    Jr    Blue Springs, MO
11.     Dalton Brady    Sr    Chandler, AZ    Utah Valley
12.     Nikko Villarreal    Jr    Gilroy, CA
13.     Nick Kelley    Sr    Clifton Park, NY Shenendehowa    Binghamton
14.     Jake Marlin    Sr    Creston, IA C./Orient-Macksburg    Iowa
15.     Joe Galasso    Jr    Philadelphia, PA Father Judge
16.     Tyson Dippery    Sr    Harrisburg, PA Central Dauphin    Rutgers
17.     Jed Mellen    Sr    Payson, UT    Utah Valley
18.     Blaine Invernon    Sr    Bonners Ferry, ID
19.     Tommy Forte    So    Mishawaka, IN
20.     Noah Forrider    Sr    Marysville, OH    Ohio U.

145 pounds
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment
1.     Ben Whitford    Sr    St. Johns, MI    Michigan
2.     Bryce Brill    Jr    Chicago, IL Mount Carmel
3.     B.J. Clagon    Sr    Toms River, NJ South    Rider
4.     Mike Racciato    Sr    Pen Argyl, PA    Pittsburgh
5.     Brandon Sorensen    Sr    Denver, IA D.-Tripoli    Iowa
6.     Solomon Chishko    Jr    Canonsburg, PA C.-McMillan
7.     Edgar Bright    Sr    Lakewood, OH St. Edward    Pittsburgh
8.     Neal Molloy    Sr    Danville, IN    Indiana
9.     Troy Heilmann    Sr    South Plainfield, NJ    North Carolina
10.     T.J. Miller    Sr    Cherry Hill, NJ Camden Catholic    Virginia
11.     Jacob Danishek    Jr    Miamisburg, OH Dayton Christian
12.     Christian Pagdilao    Sr    Corona, CA Santiago    Michigan State
13.     Anthony Valencia    So    Bellflower, CA St. John Bosco
14.     Joey Lavallee    Sr    Reno, NV    Missouri
15.     Jack Clark    Jr    Owings Mills, MD McDonogh School
16.     Mason Manville    Fr    Blairstown Tp, NJ Blair Acad.
17.     Darick LaPaglia    Sr    Blue Springs, MO
18.     Grant Leeth    Jr    Kearney, MO
19.     Clayton Ream    Sr    Wentzville, MO Emil E. Holt    North Dakota State
20.     Josh Shields    So    Murrysville, PA Franklin Regional

152 pounds
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment
1.     Oliver Pierce    Sr    Allen, TX    Oklahoma
2.     Russell Parsons    Sr    Blairstown Tp, NJ Blair Academy    Army
3.     Anthony Collica    Sr    Solon, OH    Oklahoma State
4.     Austin Matthews    Sr    Greenville, PA H.A. Reynolds    Clarion
5.     Brian Murphy    Sr    Carol Stream, IL Glenbard North    Michigan
6.     Jake Short    Sr    Inver Grove Heights, MN Simley    Minnesota
7.    Mark Hall    Fr    Apple Valley, MN
8.     Markus Scheidel    Sr    Lakewood, OH St. Edward    Columbia
9.     Alex Marinelli    Fr    St. Paris, OH Graham
10.     Kyle Langenderfer    Sr    Frankfort, IL Lincoln-Way East    Illinois
11.     Garett Hammond    Sr    Chambersburg, PA    Penn State
12.    T.C. Warner    Jr    Mechanicsburg, PA Cumberland Valley
13.     Kaleb Baker    Sr    Memphis, TN Christian Brothers    Arizona State
14.     Seth Liegel    Sr    Spring Green, WI River Valley    Wisconsin
15.     Fox Baldwin    So    Kissimmee, FL Osceola
16.     Corey Rasheed    Jr    Middle Island, NY Longwood
17.     Zach Kelly    So    Saltsburg, PA Kiski School
18.     Wayne Stinson    Sr    Columbus, NJ Northern Burlington    Rider
19.     Chad Walsh    Sr    Cherry Hill, NJ Camden Catholic
20.     Luke Wilson    Sr    Santa Maria, CA Ernest Righetti

160 pounds
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment
1.     Bo Jordan    Sr    St. Paris, OH Graham    Ohio State
2.     Isaiah Martinez    Sr    Lemoore, CA    Illinois
3.     Chance Marsteller    Jr    Fawn Grove, PA Kennard Dale
4.     Garrett Peppelman    Jr    Harrisburg, PA Central Dauphin
5.     Bo Nickal    Jr    Allen, TX
6.     JaVaughn Perkins    Jr    Omaha, NE North
7.     Myles Martin    So    Owings Mills, MD McDonogh School
8.     Josh Llopez    Jr    Leonardtown, MD St. Mary’s Ryken
9.     Dillon Artigliere    Jr    Succasunna, NJ Roxbury
10.    Jonathan Schleifer    Jr    East Brunswick, NJ
11.     Devonte Mahomes    Jr    Oak Park, IL O.P.-River Forest
12.     Ryan Blees    Jr    Bismarck, ND
13.     Keilan Torres    Sr    Altus, OK    Oklahoma State
14.     Burke Paddock    Jr    Warsaw, NY
15.     Tyler Grimaldi    Sr    Dix Hills, NY Half Hollow Hills West    Harvard
16.     Cody Law    Sr    Sidman, PA Forest Hills    Penn State
17.     Eric Hoffman    Sr    Owings, MD Northern Calvert    Wyoming
18.     Zack Zavatsky    Jr    Greater Latrobe, PA
19.     Tony Dailey    Jr    Massillon, OH Perry
20.     Nick Fiegener    Jr    Folsom, CA

170 pounds
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment
1.     Zach Beard    Sr    Tuttle, OK    Wyoming
2.    Cody Wiercioch    Sr    Canonsburg, PA C.-McMillan    Pittsburgh
3.     Nick Wanzek    Sr    Inver Grove Heights, MN Simley    Minnesota
4.     Tyler Askey    Sr    Newnan, GA Northgate    Virginia
5.     Pete Renda    Sr    Topton, PA Brandywine Heights    NC State
6.     Chandler Rogers    Jr    Spokane, WA Mead
7.     Peter Santos    Sr    Roseville, CA Oakmont    NC State
8.     Nick Kee    Jr    Laurinburg, NC Scotland Co.    Appalachian State
9.     Ethan Ramos    Sr    Hawthorne, NJ    North Carolina
10.     Andrew Garcia    Jr    Novi, MI Detroit Catholic Central
11.     Colin Holler    Sr    Orland Park, IL Carl Sandburg    SD State
12.     Jake Stilling    Sr    Elkhorn, WI    Wisconsin
13.     Corey Griego    Jr    Hesperia, CA Sultana
14.     Cha. Grace-Reyes    Sr    Honolulu, HI Moanalua
15.     Travis Berridge    Sr    Brandon, FL    Cal Poly
16.     Nick Corba    Sr    Beavercreek, OH    Cleveland State
17.     Jacob Morrissey    Sr    Oconto Falls, WI
18.     Bobby Steveson    So    Merrillville, IN
19.     Caleb Copeland    Sr    Bennett, CO    Chadron State
20.     Jadaen Bernstein    Sr    Glen Gardner, NJ Voorhees    Navy

182 pounds
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment
1.     Domenic Abounader    Sr    Lakewood, OH St. Edward    Michigan
2.     Preston Lehmann    Sr    West Fargo, ND    North Dakota State
3.     Glenn Climmons    Sr    Marietta, GA Alan C. Pope    Air Force
4.     Eric Morris    Sr    Kingston, PA Wyoming Seminary    Harvard
5.     Zach Epperly    Sr    Christiansburg, VA    Virginia Tech
6.     Jacob Taylor    Sr    Wingate, PA Bald Eagle Area    Cornell
7.     Brett Harner    Sr    Norristown, PA    Princeton
8.     Jared Haught    Sr    Parkersburg, WV    Virginia Tech
9.     B.J. Toal    Sr    Troy, OH Christian    Missouri
10.    Johnny Sebastian    Jr    Oradell, NJ Bergen Catholic
11.     Chip Ness    Jr    Buford, GA
12.     Dakota DesLauriers    Sr    Lower Burrell, PA Burrell    Mercyhurst
13.    Ryder Newman    Sr    Henderson, NV Green Valley
14.     Aero Amo    Sr    Rapid City, SD Central
15.     Adrian Salas    Sr    Clovis, CA
16.     Addison Knepshield    Sr    Blairstown Tp, NJ Blair Academy
17.     Immanuel Barber    Sr    Moreno Valley, CA Can. Springs    CSU Bakersfield
18.     Parker VonEgidy    Sr    Monroe, NC Piedmont    Missouri
19.     Michael Pixley    Jr    Blue Springs, MO
20.     Ryan Christensen    Jr    Woodinville, WA

195 pounds
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment
1.    Mitch Sliga    Sr      Fishers, IN    Northwestern
2.     Ryan Solomon    Sr    Milton, PA    Pittsburgh
3.     Ricky Robertson    Sr    Orland Park, IL Carl Sandburg    Wisconsin
4.     Frank Mattiace    Sr    Blairstown Tp, NJ Blair Academy    Penn
5.    Garet Krohn    Sr    Arvada, CO    Stanford
6.     Jacob Hart    Sr    Allison Park, PA Hampton    Edinboro
7.     Matt McCutcheon    Sr    Vandergrift, PA Kiski Area    Penn State
8.     Jeremy Sweany    Jr    Vacaville, CA
9.     Jordan Ellingwood    Sr    Plainfield, IL Central    Central Michigan
10.     Lance Benick    So    Fridley, MN Totino Grace
11.     Broc Berge    Sr    Kasson, MN K.-Mantorville    Iowa
12.     Tommy Petersen    Sr    Lakeville, MN South    North Dakota State
13.     Nathan Rotert    Sr    Spearfish, SD    South Dakota State
14.     Josh Lehner    Sr    Lexington, OH    North Carolina
15.     Razohnn Gross    Sr    Ramsey, NJ Don Bosco Preparatory
16.     Payne Hayden    Sr    St. Johns, MI    Michigan
17.     Leonardo Trindade    Sr    Billerica, MA Memorial
18.     Nathan Rose    Jr    Arlington, MN Sibley East
19.     Eugene Martin    Sr    DeSmet, SD Kingsbury County
20.     Chris Pagan    Sr    Kissimmee, FL Osceola

220 pounds
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment
1.     Kyle Snyder    Jr    Wheaton, MD Good Counsel
2.     Thomas Haines    Jr    Quarryville, PA Solanco
3.     Spencer Empey    Sr    Sparks, NV Edward C. Reed    Cal Poly
4.     David Henry    Sr    Oakland, OR
5.     Andrew Dixon    Jr    Edmond, OK North
6.     Austin Myers    So    Alexandria, KY Campbell County
7.     Ray O’Donnell    Sr    Hellertown, PA Saucon Valley    Princeton
8.     Chalmer Frueauf    Jr    Cincinnati, OH Archbishop Moeller
9.     Derrick Jones    Jr    Bloomington, CA
10.     Sean Medley    Sr    Wasco, CA
11.     Roy Nash    Jr    Murray, UT Taylorsville
12.     Dane Pestano    Sr    Kapalama, HI Kamehameha School
13.     Garrett Ryan    Sr    Kingston, PA Wyoming Seminary    Columbia
14.     Evan Rosborough    Sr    Painesville, OH Riverside    Lake Erie
15.     Brian Moran    Sr    Fowlerville, MI    Grand Valley (football)
16.     Ben Andrew    Sr    Mesa, AZ
17.     Cody Andersen    Sr    Winnemucca, NV Lowry
18.     Adam Reth    Sr    Manchester, IA West Delaware
19.     Amos Mason    Sr    Brentwood, TN Academy
20.     Joe Ostman    Sr    St. Ignace, MI LaSalle

Heavyweight
Rk.     Name    Year    Hometown/High School    College Commitment
1.     Adam Coon    Sr    Fowlerville, MI    Michigan
2.     Brooks Black    Sr    Blairstown Tp, NJ Blair Acad.    Illinois
3.     J’Den Cox    Sr    Columbia, MO David Hickman    Missouri
4.     Sam Stoll    Jr    Kasson, MN K.-Mantorville
5.     Nick Nevills    Jr    Clovis, CA
6.    Aaron Bradley    Sr    Nazareth, PA    Iowa
7.     Nathan Butler    Sr    Leavenworth, KS    Stanford
8.     Cole Johnson    Sr    DeSoto, WI
9.     Brian Allen    Jr    Hinsdale, IL Central
10.     Michael Johnson    So    Kingston, PA Wyoming Seminary
11.     Chet Spears    Sr    Eugene, OR Sheldon
12.     Donte Winfield    Sr    Indianapolis, IN Perry Meridian
13.     Travis Gusan    Sr    Hilliard, OH Davidson
14.     Gage Hutchison    Sr    Buchanan, MI    Eastern Michigan
15.     Shane Kuhn    Jr    Vandergrift, PA Kiski Area
16.     Will Geary    Sr    Topeka, KS    Kansas State (football)
17.     Jacoby Brown    Sr    Chickasha, OK
18.     Harrison Phillips    Jr    Omaha, NE Millard West
19.     Andrew Geers    Sr    Naperville, IL Neuqua Valley    Purdue
20.     Tanner Farmer    Jr    Highland, IL

University of Michigan coach Joe McFarland put a bulls-eye on his program last November, assembling the nation’s No. 1 early signing class.

All season long, the Wolverine futures lived up to the hype.

McFarland’s six November signees all advanced to their high school state championship matches, five winning titles and one losing by a point, to cement the title in the 2013 recruiting derby.

Fowlerville heavyweight Adam Coon, won four Michigan state championships, will now take on Big Ten’s big men once he joins the Wolverines.

Four-time Michigan champions Ben Whitford (149-157) of St. Johns and Adam Coon (Hwt) of Fowlerville, three-time Ohio champion Domenic Abounader (184-197) of Lakewood St. Edward, two-time Illinois champion George Fisher (133-141) of Aurora Marmion Academy, St. Johns champion Payne Hayden (184-197) and three-time Illinois runner-up Brian Murphy (157) of Carol Stream Glenbard North are expected to team with last year’s recruiting class to provide the heart of what could be a multi-year NCAA team-title contender.

However, other classes also stood out.

From top to bottom, Missouri’s class, which might have been the “MVC” of the high school season, moved the Tigers up a spot to No. 2, and the rest of the teams in the Top 10 also received outstanding performances from their early recruits.

North Dakota State and North Carolina State edged into the Top 10, with Wolfpack coach Pat Popolizio’s team moving up seven spots to No. 10. Michigan State also moved up seven spots, while Wisconsin moved up five. Iowa State (No. 17), Rider (No. 23) and Cal Poly (No. 24) joined the list after not being included in November.

Narrowing the list to 25 was extremely difficult, since so many schools not on this list helped themselves tremendously this year. Please note, though, that we don’t yet have access to each school’s dozen-odd additional walk-ons…and don’t pretend to.

Here are some highlights, however, of WIN’s Top 25 recruiting classes for 2012-13 at press time.

1. Michigan: The Big Six (see above) of November were the story, combining for 14 state titles, but McFarland added some excellent depth this spring, too. The best of his three spring recruits: Illinois champion Cameron Kennedy (133-141), the younger brother of former University of Illinois All-American Jimmy Kennedy, from Richmond-Burton High.

Michigan also signed Jordan Amine (149, MI), Ernest Battalia (149-157, IL), Aaron Calderon (157, MI) and Payne Hayden (197, MI).

2. Missouri: Coach Brian Smith’s class dominated during the season and postseason. J’den Cox (197) of Columbia David Hickman went up to 285 to finish his career as a four-time state champion, pinning his way to the title. Nick Kee (165-174) of Laurinburg (N.C.) Scotland County and Parker VonEgidy (174) of Monroe (N.C.) Piedmont, two-time Ohio champion B.J. Toal (184) of Troy Christian, four-time Nevada champion Joey Lavallee (157) of Reno, two-time South Carolina champion J.J. Johnson (125) of Hanahan and Illinois champion Barlow McGhee (125) of Rock Island made it a 6-for-6 title sweep.

Not only that, Lavallee, VonEgidy and Cox all won NHSCA Senior Nationals titles, with Johnson finishing third, Kee won his second straight 4A Outstanding Wrestler award and McGhee added a Dream Team Classic win.

Another big name in Smith’s room this fall: two-time Iowa champ Willie Miklus, a member of last year’s class who spent a year at the Olympic Training Center.

3. Ohio State: There’s seemingly no ceiling for coach Tom Ryan’s top two recruits, and four-time state champions Nathan Tomasello (125) of Cuyahoga Falls Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy and Jr. Hodge winner Bo Jordan (157-165) of St. Paris Graham breezed through the season, with Jordan earning the Outstanding Wrestler award in Division 2.

To read the remainder of this story and the complete listing of WIN recruiting ratings, subscribe to WIN Magazine by (clicking here) or calling the toll free to start a 12-issue annual subscription for $29.95 for 12 print editions of WIN, or $14.95 for the digital version. 

We’ve now had a chance to dissect the results of the three tournaments that, ridiculously, all took place on the same weekend: the NHSCA High School Nationals, the USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals and the Flonationals.

It doesn’t get the hype the other two events do, but the Junior Division champions in the Folkstyle Nationals, which took place at Cedar Falls, Iowa, were extremely talented. From 113 through heavyweight, every champion was — or has been — part of the WIN individual rankings at some point this season.

Some highlights:

113 – Brian Rossi of Lockport (Ill.) wasn’t the best at his weight in his own state — he’s finished third twice — but the two-time Cadet National placewinner took this class with two technical falls and two major decisions in five matches, along with a 3-1 overtime decision over two-time Nebraska Doyle Trout of Utica Centennial in the semifinals.

120 – One of three No. 1s to win titles, Zahid Valencia of Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco beat three-time Oregon champion Ronnie Bresser of Klamath Falls Henley, 3-2 to win his first title up a weight from his state tournament weight.

126 – Freshman Julian Flores of San Marino (Calif.), fifth in the state tournament, edged three-time Illinois champion Josh Alber of Dakota, 2-1, in the semifinals. Alber was up a weight class. Two-time Kentucky champion Trae Blackwell of Morganfield Union County beat Flores, 6-1 in the final.

132 – Down a weight class after winning his fourth Arizona title, Dalton Brady of Chandler got all he could handle from Ali Naser of Woodland Hills (Calif.) El Camino Real, winning 3-2 in the final after five convincing wins.

138 – The second No. 1, Aaron Pico of St. John Bosco, showed why. He scored 113 points in the five matches he wrestled which went the distance — three technical falls and two major decisions. His sixth win came by pin.

145 – The present and the future met in the finals. Three-time Utah champion Grant LaMont of Spanish Fork Maple Mountain, down a weight class, pinned Indiana champion Tommy Forte of Mishawaka, up a weight class after edging into the final rankings at 138.

152 – Often lost in the shuffle behind fellow Missourians Darick LaPaglia of Blue Springs and Grant Leeth of Kearney, Clayton Ream of Wentzville Holt, up a weight from first state title run, edged four-time Iowa champion Brandon Sorensen of Denver-Tripoli in the final rankings at 138.

160 – He didn’t win the state — only in Illinois — but Devonte Mahomes of Oak Park-River Forest justified his national ranking, nipping three-time North Dakota champion Ryan Blees of Bismarck, 3-2.

170 – Two-time state champions from Wisconsin’s top two divisions met in the finals, with Division 2 champion Jacob Morrissey of Oconto Falls pounding Jake Stilling of Elkhorn, the Division 1 champion, in a 16-6 major decision.

182 – Indiana sophomores, Part 2: Like Forte, Bobby Steveson of Merrillville finished the season unbeaten. Unlike Forte, the Cadet National placewinner went all the way at Cedar Falls with a 6-0 record.

195 – Is he the best in a loaded weight in Minnesota? After adding yet another title to his collection, sophomore Lance Benick of Fridley Totino Grace just might be.

220 – With a first-round pin and four technical falls, two-time Arizona champion Ben Andrew of Mesa showed why he inched back into the final rankings.

Hwt – The tournament’s final No. 1 had no trouble … after the first round. Four-time Michigan champion Adam Coon of Fowlerville met Michael Johnson of Kingston (Pa.) Wyoming Seminary in what was likely the most dramatic first-round match of the tournament. Coon prevailed, 3-0, and had only one other match go the distance.

College wrestling on the Division I level may be seeing the beginning of seismic shifts in terms of conferences and NCAA qualifiers or regionals.

The dominos started to fall last year when Rutgers and Maryland announced they were leaving the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association and Atlantic Coast Conference for the already-loaded Big Ten Conference.

WHAT WILL 2014 NCAA QUALIFIERS LOOK LIKE?

Also in 2012, Missouri announced it was leaving the Big 12 and joining the Mid-American Conference for wrestling. The school joined the super-power Southeastern Conference in sports because of football, but none of those schools have wrestling.

Also joining Missouri in the MAC was Northern Iowa, formerly of the Western Wrestling Conference. And starting in 2014, Old Dominion will join the league for wrestling, making it a nine-team conference.

And the moves continue to happen this spring. But thus far, they’re all on the East Coast.

Wrestling has seen the last qualifying tournament from the six-team Colonial Athletic Association. (Old Dominion still competed there this March and was ineligible). CAA members  Binghamton, Drexel, Hofstra and Boston University will be joining wrestling’s oldest conference — the powerful EIWA. These four additions will make that an 18-team league for the 2014 qualifier.

First-year Binghamton head coach Matt Dernlan said he couldn’t be more thrilled with the move.

Matt Dernlan

“On a number of different levels, it’s pretty monumental for our program, both from athletics and academics. To be considered academically aligned with the other EIWA programs speaks volumes to our school,” Dernlan said.

Binghamton finished second at the 2013 CAA conference tournament, taking two champs and four qualifiers out of the conference to the NCAA Championships.

In a similar scenario to Rutgers and Maryland, wrestling in a stronger conference and coming out of a qualifier with more automatic bids to the NCAAs helps programs a majority of the time.

Coaches are able to use their conference alignment and qualifier scenario as a recruiting advantage. And to land some of the top kids in their respective regions or nationally, that’s critically important. As always, kids love to be able to go back to their friends and family and brag about what conference they’re going to be wrestling in.

It also indirectly leads administrators to put more money and support into their wrestling programs. If programs don’t want to get lost in the shuffle, they need to make sure there’s adequate resources to fund scholarships, facility upgrades, academic support, etc.

Dernlan said he’s appreciative that his administration is being proactive, rather than reactive. He said plans were already in the works for a move to the EIWA when he took the job last year.

“On one hand, it seems we’re reacting to the fall out from football and basketball. The (college) landscape is shifting in regards to conference affiliation. In general, it seems (at Binghamton) we’ve been moving towards that (move to the EIWA) for awhile,” Dernlan said.

Dernlan didn’t feel that conference shifts like this would hurt college wrestling long term. He said the administrators and schools, which aren’t fully supportive of their wrestling programs, are at risk of being dropped no matter what conference they’re in.

“Being a bit skeptical and jaded about some administrations, if they want some excuse to downgrade a program, they’re going to do that. For us as an institution, we anticipated this as a coaching staff and administration,” he said.

There are still some unknowns here with the CAA now ceasing to have a wrestling championship. Rider and George Mason have yet to announce where they’ll be competing. (Pending legal approval, it appears they’ll be heading to the EWL.)

An even bigger shift is being proposed on the other side of the country, on the West Coast and in the Midwest. A recent proposal developed in the last month could bring together the Pac 12 Conference, Big 12 Conference and the Western Wrestling Conference in a qualifier. Each of the three conferences has only five members.

If the three conferences did join together and wrestle out of one “super regional”, it would greatly solidify wrestling on the West Coast and would make for a very competitive qualifier. Those three conferences accounted for 19 2013 All-Americans. In comparison, the 12-team Big Ten Conference placed 29.

Joining the always-tough Big 12 Conference would be consistent performing teams from the West, like Oregon State, Boise State and Wyoming from the WWC. The 15-team regional could be the start of a new qualification system where all colleges qualified each year through super regionals like this in a format similar to the way wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Division II and Division III national tournaments.

Stanford coach Jason Borrelli is excited about the potential realignment. He said numerous questions need to be answered through each of the respective conferences and the NCAA before anything formal could be considered.

Jason Borrelli

One of the bigger questions being looked at is if tradition-rich conferences like the Big 12 and Pac 12 would continue to keep their conference championships. And if so, what would the format be and when would they be held?

“From the first time I was approached, I thought this could have been very good for the West Coast because it brings numbers together,” Borrelli said. “It’s stuck on the conference level. We are extremely happy with the brand of the Pac 12. We want to stay Pac 12 members. The only thing we would be doing different is how we get to the national tournament as individuals.

“If the NCAA says no (to also keeping a Pac 12 conference tourney), it would be real hard for us to go and do this. If they said no, I would vote no.”

Borrelli thinks moves like this can even create additional opportunities where Division I wrestling programs are scarce, like out West. Now if there’s a school who’s considering adding wrestling, they look at a strong conference or regional which they could be apart of and it makes it a more attractive scenario.

Borrelli didn’t feel the potential negative side effects of “forcing” schools to put more money and resources into wrestling would play out in a negative way.

“The reality of it is, if they’re quarter funded, we can’t do anything more to make them safe anyway. They’re at risk no matter what we do,” he said. “You want to give administrations a reason to step up.”

In my opinion, I think the conference realignment is a good thing for wrestling as well. Even though the dominos started to fall because of football’s realignment over the last couple years, wrestling should benefit from getting additional resources in a majority of the situations over time.

Long term, that’s a very good thing for wrestling. Now college wrestling needs to continue to reexamine itself to make sure athletic administrators are seeing a good product when they attend wrestling events and evaluate the program as a whole.

It should be a very interesting next couple years to see how the conferences and qualifiers evolve.

Bo Jordan was about 10 years old when his father felt his son was ready for national competition. And one of the first tournaments the native of St. Paris, Ohio, competed in that year was the 2003 Cliff Keen Kickoff Classic in Tulsa, Okla., which the young Jordan won.

“I remember getting those big trophies,” chuckled Bo. “That was really cool when you are a little kid.”

The oldest son of Jeff and Amy Jordan also remembers who presented the trophy: Dan Hodge, who was more than the legendary wrestler from Oklahoma University in the 1950s to a nine-year old.

Among Bo Jordan’s 49 victories in an unbeaten senior season this past winter was a second straight Ironman championship against California’s Isaiah Martinez in December. Jordan went on to win four Ohio state championships and two OW honors in his career at St. Paris Graham High School. Jordan will wrestle at Ohio State next winter.

“I remember Mr. Hodge yelling, ‘Woo, woo!’ ” recalled Bo. “He was very energetic and made you feel really good when you are little and wrestling.”

And now ten years later, Bo Jordan is able to enjoy the legacy of Dan Hodge again … after the four-time Ohio state champion from St. Paris Graham High School was named the recipient of the 2013 Junior Dan Hodge Trophy, which is presented annually by WIN and the Amateur Athletic Union to the nation’s most dominant high school wrestler.

“Wow, that’s amazing,” Bo said. “I feel very honored to receive this award.”

“Bo Jordan epitomizes what we look for each year in a Jr. Dan Hodge winner,” said WIN publisher Bryan Van Kley. “He’s one of those rare high school kids who stands out even in top-level tournaments as a guy who dominates and has rare talent. And he has the character to go with his talent. He’s the type of guy you want representing the sport. WIN and the AAU are proud he’s the 2013 Jr. Hodge winner.”

All one has to do is look back at the past four years of Bo’s career, which saw him win 182 of 183 career matches and also presented him two Outstanding Wrestler awards in the state of Ohio’s Division 2 state tournament. In the last three tourneys, 9 of his 12 wins came by pin. He tallied 122 pins in his career.

Bo Jordan (left) met the legendary Dan Hodge in 2003 when he won the Cliff Keen Kickoff Classic in Tulsa when he was nine years old.

This past season, Bo compiled a 49-0 record at 160 pounds, which included 34 pins, ten technical falls, three forfeits and one major decision. The only wrestler who did not get beat by more than eight points in a match against Jordan was California’s Isaiah Martinez. An OW himself at the California state tourney and two-time champ, Martinez lost to Jordan for a second straight year in the finals of the Walsh-Jesuit Ironman in December.

The two could continue to meet frequently in college. Jordan has signed at Ohio State; Martinez is also headed for the Big Ten Conference. He joins former Cal Poly coach Mark Perry Jr. and Jim Heffernan at Illinois.

And all of Bo’s mat success has come while wrestling for his father, Jeff, the long-time successful coach at St. Paris Graham High School.

“It’s been great to look back,” said Bo, who first name is actually Jeff but has gone by his middle name to avoid any confusion with his dad’s name. “My dad has played such a big role and all the hard training has paid off.”

“When he became a teenager and I felt if we continued to work hard and God blessed him with a little bit of talent, I felt he could go a long ways,” said his father, who also introduced his son to former nationally-ranked high school wrestlers at the Jeff Jordan State Champ camp in St. Paris.

“When Bo was little at my camp, I would have Brent Metcalf come over every year,” recalled Jeff about the 2008 Hodge Trophy winner and two-time NCAA champion from Iowa. “I told Bo, I want you growing up and wrestling like that where you are constantly pressuring a guy, getting that guy tired and breaking him.”

There would be other wrestlers who attended the camp and succeeded past college, including Penn State’s 2012 Hodge Trophy winner David Taylor, who moved from Wyoming to St. Paris Graham to wrestle in high school.

“I don’t think I ever once questioned my dad, especially when it came to wrestling,” Bo said. “I had seen him coach guys like David Taylor and other guys who were really good and won multiple state titles.”

One reason Bo never rebelled against his father’s mat teachings and philosophy was that they separated their relationship when it came to wrestling.

“He would tell me, ‘In the wrestling room, you’re coach. On the way home, you’re dad,” recalled Jeff, who also has two other sons wrestling: Micah, a 132-pound junior, who captured his third Ohio state championship for Graham High; and Rocky, a seventh grader in the St. Paris school system.

“Whether I think what he tells me is right or wrong, if it’s in the practice room, that’s what I’m going to do because I believe it will make me better,” said Bo.

Jeff said one of his son’s bigger strengths, as a wrestler, is his strength.

“I was one of those crazy dads who had him do a lot of resistance training from push-ups to pull-ups,” the elder Jordan said. “I used to keep a journal on how many push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups he’d do ever since the age of 5.

“Together, we would do it three times a week. I just think it has really paid off because of the fact that he is extremely strong … and there is no substitute for strength.”

Jeff said that strength has helped his son dominate wrestlers from the neutral position.

“On his feet, he really, really hand fights and really gets guys tired,” said Jeff.

With the reputation Bo has gained through his work ethic, it sometimes leads to others speculating if it’s the work ethic or his athletic ability and strength which makes him the most dangerous.

“The good thing is that he has some good athletic ability and the hard work can sure bring that out,” said Jeff. “There are a lot of guys who have a lot of talent, but they don’t work hard and can’t reach their maximum potential. I’m impressed he’s worked very hard the last four years to win four state titles and hopefully that hard work will continue to pay off in college.”

With Ohio State and their Regional Training Center an hour east of St. Paris, Jeff is happy Bo can now go there to train.

“Bo just finished up his senior year and I told him, ‘I’m done wrestling you,” laughed Jeff. “ ‘You’ve kicked my butt too much and I never want to wrestle you again.’

“The best thing about the RTCs is that Bo can go over and work out with the guys at Ohio State. That’s a great thing for high school kids. That’s what’s going to get him better now. I’m going to let coach (Tom) Ryan of Ohio State take over. I told Bo to do what ever coach Ryan says.”

“I know it’s going to be fun, but I have a lot of training to do,” said Bo, who is expected to wrestle at either 165 or 174 in college. “I’m excited. I’m not sure if I’m going to wrestle or redshirt that first year. It’s up to the coaches.”

Jeff, a two-time All-American at Wisconsin in 1987 and ’88 at 150 pounds, still offers his son tips on what he could face that first year.

“I told him the biggest thing he needs to work on is getting off the bottom,” Jeff recalled. “In high school, no one really ever rode him. He’s been working a lot on just getting away. And while he is strong, he still needs that technique. He has to take the same attitude when you are down and the guys is riding you.”

Bo Jordan’s only high school loss was to former Walsh Jesuit star Nate Skonieczny. It came during Bo’s freshman year in his 21st high school career match in the in the finals of the 2010 Top Gun tournament in Alliance, Ohio. Bo lost in a 2-1 overtime tiebreaker.

“After that, I just trained hard,” said Bo, who avenged that loss in the state semifinals that winter. “When you lose, it kills you.

“I didn’t make the commitment because my coaches were telling me to do it. I did it because I wanted to do it deep down. I wanted to go to practice. I wanted to do cardio after practice. I wanted to go the extra mile.

“I know this: I hate losing more than I like to win. That is a good way to drive yourself.”

Bo also excels in the classroom, carrying a 3.4 GPA. The AAU’s Bob Johnson said Jordan is the type of student-athlete you look for in a Junior Hodge winner.

“Bo’s a great student and wrestler. I have no doubt he’ll excel at Ohio State too. He’s exactly the type of kid we look for each year for the Junior Hodge,” Johnson said.