What's New Archives

2007 World Beach bronze medalists Jeff Funicello (Gilbert, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) and Carlos Dolmo (Bronx, N.Y./Blast Double NY) are among the top stars expected to compete at the U.S. Beach National Championships and World Team Trials, which will be held at Ontario Beach Park in Rochester, N.Y., July 4-6.

Funicello won a bronze medal at the Below 187.75 lbs. division, and Dolmo won a bronze medal at the Above 187.25 lbs. division at the World Beach Wrestling Championships in Antalya, Turkey in 2007. Both have indicated that they will compete in Rochester this year, to earn another chance at the U.S. Beach World Team.

2006 World bronze medalist Ray Downey (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow WC) has also indicated he will compete again this year. Downey is two-time Beach Nationals champion who captured the 176-pound national title last year.

Read more.

Pecora, Dlugolonski awarded USMC Excellence in Leadership Award

By Jason Bryant
jbryant@intermatwrestle.com

They’re two legends of the game. Long-time coaches with lengthy resumes and hundreds upon hundreds of young wrestlers passing through their wrestling rooms.

Each one of them, taking away something from their mentor, their coach.

University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown head wrestling coach Pat Pecora has led the Mountain Cats program to over 400 dual meet victories and has been one of the most respected men in college wrestling.

George Dlugolonski has guided Chaminade High School on Long Island in New York for the past 35 years and has been a one of the top producers of second and third generation wrestling coaches, including recent Beat the Streets High School Developmental Coach of the Year Keith Conrade.

Read more.

Las Vegas, Nevada: Brad Vering, 2004 Olympian and a World Silver Medalist has the experience and the skill to win an Olympic Championship. The former Nebraska University NCAA Champion coming off a Silver Medal performance in last years world championship is in position to "go for the gold!".

Andy Hrovat once again stole the show at the trials with a stunning upset of Mo Lawal, Gator Wrestling, who was the top seed by virtue of winning the 2008 USAW National Open. Lawal had defeated Hrovat in the finals of the U.S. Nationals in 2008. Hrovat defeated Lawal at the World Team Trials in 2006 on the way to his first World Championships appearance.

At 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in freestyle, Steve Mocco (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) qualified for the Olympics by defeating 2007 World Team member Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/New York AC) in three bouts. Mocco who hails from New Jersey, began his wrestling career at St. Benedicts and transferred to Blair Academy. He won an NCAA Championship for both Iowa and Oklahoma State University.

Although the U.S. has not qualified for the Olympics in greco at 60 kg/132 lbs., the NYAC's Joe Betterman won this weight division and is hopeful he can gain a wild card into the Olympic Games. Seven overall wild cards will be awarded among the 18 total Olympic weight classes in all three styles. The wild cards will be awarded shortly after the Trials.

Sonny Greenhalgh, Wrestling Chairman and the New York Athletic Club had a tremendous showing over the 3 day tournament with several finalist in Women's, Greco-Roman and Freestyle Wrestling. Considering the financial restraints of a private club in New York City, is still able to recruit and compete with its counterparts the Sunkist Wrestling and the Gator Wrestling Clubs.

The NYAC since 1898 has been a leader in sponsoring athletes in World and Olympic Competition in many sports.

NBCOlympics.com to provide live webcast of finals at U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling

NBCOlympics.com, in cooperation with USA Wrestling, will provide a live webcast of the Championship Series matches at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev., June 13-15.

Fans can go to NBCOlympics.com and see the matches from the final round on all three days, starting at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

Each day, there will be six best-of-three Championships Series held. The weight classes contested each day are:

• Friday, June 13 - 48 kg women's freestyle, 55 kg women's freestyle, 63 kg women's freestyle, 72 kg women's freestyle, 55 kg Greco-Roman, 60 kg Greco-Roman
• Saturday, June 14 - 66 kg Greco-Roman, 74 kg Greco-Roman, 84 kg Greco-Roman, 55 kg men's freestyle, 60 kg men's freestyle, 66 kg men's freestyle
• Sunday, June 15 - 96 kg Greco-Roman, 120 kg Greco-Roman, 74 kg men's freestyle, 84 kg men's freestyle, 96 kg men's freestyle, 120 kg men's freestyle

The broadcast team for the NBCOlympics.com live wrestling webcast will be veteran announcers Van Stokes and Scott Casber. Stokes has been the play-by-play commentator for numerous USA Wrestling telecasts on a variety of networks, and also has national broadcasting experience with other sports. Casber, a veteran radio and broadcast announcer, is the founder and voice of Takedown Radio, a wrestling show that airs weekly in a number of markets as well as internationally over the Internet all year long.

This special webcast is in addition to the previously announced television coverage for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling and Judo. A two-hour taped show from the event will be broadcast on Sunday, June 22 at 12:00 noon ET on MSNBC. The broadcast team for the MSNBC show is play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin, wrestling color commentator Rulon Gardner and judo color commentator Pat Burris.

Carlo Wins Gold Medals in Both Freestyle and Greco at the Northeast Cadet Regionals, Villaret takes 3rd in Freestyle and 2nd in Greco.

Congratulations to Tony Carlo and Ben Villaret of Monsignor Farrell for their performance this past weekend at the Northeast Cadet Regional Championships. Tony took home double golds as he went a combined 8-0 in freestyle and greco roman - he also did not lose a period in the greco roman competition. Villaret was a combined 9-2 in the weekend placing 3rd in freestyle and 2nd in greco roman. Both wrestlers will be competing at the Cadet National Championships in Fargo, ND July 20th to the 26th.

This past year both sophomore wrestlers were NYC Mayors Cup champions and Villaret was a CHSAA State Champ. Congrats again on their year round wrestling success!!

Duke's Konrad Dudziak takes University World Team Trials title

Women's wrestling teams are sprouting in the most unlikely places.

Missouri Baptist University, a small Christian liberal arts institution, is starting a team this fall. Oklahoma City University, the alma mater of three Miss Americas, began a program in 2007. And Menlo College near San Francisco, which specializes in business management and where nearly two-thirds of the students are men, has had a women's wrestling team since 2001.

The growth of such an unconventional women's sport at these small, private institutions has little to do with the federal gender-equity law known as Title IX and everything to do with their bottom line. Officials at tuition-hungry colleges say women's wrestling is an untapped market of prospective students, one that has curiously been all but ignored by bigger universities.

The inclusion of women's wrestling in the Olympics beginning in 2004 provided a huge boost to the sport's popularity and credibility. Five thousand girls nationwide wrestled in high school in the 2006-7 academic year, yet only eight colleges offer it as a varsity sport. Three of those eight programs are starting this fall.

Rosters fill up nearly as quickly as colleges create teams. "When we can get so many girls to come here for a first-year program, that's 20 to 25 extra students who normally wouldn't have looked at Jamestown College," said Cisco Cole, the women's wrestling coach there.

Read more.

NY Girls at the Body Bar Nationals

The women of New York had another great showing on the National stage. During the weekend of May 16th and 17th the following young ladies travelled to Colorado Springs and wrestled in the Body Bar National tournament.

It is my belief that this is the most important of all the national tournaments because it qualifies our young ladies to represent the USA in three very important competitions.

The Cadet Champion qualified for the Cadet Pan American Championships which will be held in El Salvador in July.
The Champion of the Junior tournament will represent the USA in the Jr. World Championships in Turkey from July 28th - August 4th and the runner-up for the Junior tournament will be headed to Ecuador in late June for the Jr. Pan American Championship.

In the Cadet Tournament
46kg / 101.25 - 2nd Place - Carlene Sluberski - Fredonia
Carlene had a good tournament as she pinned or teched her way into the finals. Along the way she defeated Nes Marie Rodriguz of Puerto Rico with a pin in  :43 of the second period. She then went on to pin Britney Hudson of Colorado in the same time of  :43 in the second. With those two victories it put Carlene in the finals were she lost to Victoria Anthony of California 2-0, 6-0 and ended in second place. Congratulations to Carlene who qualified for the Cadet Pan American Championships when Victoria, the young lady who beat her, qualified for the Jr World team.


52 kg / 114.5 - 2nd Place - Jenna Burkett - Longwood
Jenna had a terrific tournament with a pool championship pin over Brazil Marquez the third place finisher form California and a win over Katlynn Cormier of Florida fall.  In the Finals Jenna wrestled her best match of the tournament when she dropped a very close match with 3 time National champion Helen Maroulis of Maryland by the score of 8-0, 3-3, 2-1.
Congratulations to Jenna who qualified for the Cadet Pan American Championships when Helen, the young lady who beat her, qualified for the Jr World team.

56 kg / 123.5 - 2nd Place - Shanalee Prifte - Longwood
Shanalee did a great job. She won her pool and made her way into the finals were she lost a tight match against  Kat Perez of California. Shanalee defeated Danielle Robinson of California 7-0, 6-0 and then went on to pin Cassandra Lasio of Michigan. In the finals it was a great back and forth match were Shanalee ended up winning the first period 3-0 but lost the next two periods 3-1 and 3-1 to take second place.

56 kg / 123.5 - 4th Place - Logan Howard Chautauqua-Lake HS
Logan had some good matches posting victories over Dakota Dodgen of Texas 5-3, 4-0 and pinning Victoria Kinsey of Oklahoma in 1:26 of the first period. Logan then went on to lose her next match against the eventual weight class champion 4-6, 3-4 and lost by pin for third and 4th against Rachel Shannon of Alaska in 1:21.

60 kg / 132.5  - DNP -Tanya  Kusse Webster-Schroder HS
Tanya has some incredible talent. She is a gifted athlete and I can't wait for her to get some more confidence.  She went 0-2 but was winning both matches before losing. It was great to meet her and watch her compete. Tanya lost to Samantha Lynch of Kansas and Ashley Mathews of California.

70 kg / 154.25 - 3rd Place - Kelsea Suchocki Cobleskill
Talk about a talented athlete. Kelsea continues to improve in her wrestling skills. In the cadet tournament she placed third and recorded three pins along the way. Kelsea opened up with a pin against Rebecca Taylor of Wyoming :46 seconds into the second period. She then dropped a close match to eventual Cadet and Junior Champion Adeline Grey of Colorado 3-0, 6-0 before coming back to pin Britney Jones of Texas in 1:08 and Tera Kun of California in :46.

In the Junior Tournament (Ages 17-20)
Both Carlene and Kelsea moved up in age group to compete in the Junior age group and both ladies did a very nice job in the competition.
46kg / 101.25 - 3rd Place - Carlene Sluberski Fredonia
Carlene opened up with a loss to the eventual champion Victoria Anthony of California in a 2-6, 3-0 battle. She then went on to beat Denisia Godfrey of Wyoming 6-0, 7-0 to take 2nd in her pool. Carlene then had a cross over match against Stephanie Waters of Florida who just finished up her Freshman year at Oklahoma City College. Carlene won 4-4, 2-0. Carlene then had a chance to qualify for the Jr. Pan American Championships with a "True 2nd" match against 2006 Jr. World Champion Nicole Woody of Maryland, who also just completed her freshman year at Oklahoma City.  The match was a very good one but Carlene lost 3-0, 2-1.


70 kg / 154.25 - 4th Place - Kelsea Suchocki Cobleskill
Kelsea  went 1-2 in the Jr. division as she lost to Lindsey Brooks of Michigan and then defeated Teri Milkoff of Kentucky 4-0, Pin 1:59 but lost in the cross over match against Annaliese DeAragon of Idaho 8-6, pin :35.

The entire tournament was an awesome event and the camp before the tournament was a great success.
I hope that all the girls in attendance had a terrific experience at both.
I will be sending a reminder and information on the upcoming USA National championships to be held  in Fargo, ND in July.
I hope we have a good number of athletes looking to participate.  It should be a great time for all.
Thanks for all you do to help the success of women's wrestling.
Alex Conti

Last month the NYSPHSAA Wrestling Committee voted overwhelmingly to continue their consideration of the State Regional Tournament concept. With a vote of ten in favor, one opposed and one absent, the committee voted to continue to explore the concept. This is the third favorable committee vote regarding state regionals.

The wrestling committee expressed a concern that there were many coaches who were still not fully aware of the concept which required more time be taken to make the proposal known to coaches and Section Athletic Councils. In addition, members of the committee raised again two issues which have yet to be resolved: the status of State Federation entries in the state regional tournament format and the financial aspects of concept.

The New York State Wrestling Championships combines the state's public school (NYSPHSAA) championship with the state's private schools (CHSAA) and New York City schools (PSAL) in order for the one event to also serve as the State Federation Championships. It is structured as a two-tournaments-in-one event. Historically, under this arrangement, the CHSAA and PSAL each got one entry to the state championships. In the most recent version of the state regional tournament concept, the PSAL and CHSAA made up a "federation region" with two entries from the federation regional advancing to the state finals event. Members of the wrestling committee and others argue that if state regional format is adopted as part of the "state championship series" like it is in some other sports then the PSAL and CHSAA should square off against public school competition at the regional level. New versions of the regional groupings are being developed for the committee's review.

While supporters of the state regional format are confident about the financial aspects of the concept, the committee noted that there are not uniform practices across the sections regarding the expenses of championship competition and requested that more information about the projected costs be developed for their next meeting.

The wrestling committee is scheduled to meet again in October. It will be the final opportunity to approve and recommend the state regional format in time for the 2009-10 State Tournament.

High School wrestling rules changes announced for 2008-09
Cassie Krisher NFHS
05/01/2008

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (May 1, 2008) - The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee emphasized risk minimization and standardized procedures to assist both coaches and referees through 16 wrestling rules changes for the 2008-09 school year. Rules changes were made by the committee at its April 5-7 meeting in Indianapolis and subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

The time sequence for the offensive wrestler in assuming the offensive starting position was standardized with the addition of a note to Rule 5-20-5. First, the wrestler must set the knee(s) and feet.
Second, the wrestler must place the palm of one hand on the navel.
Third, the wrestler must place the palm of the other hand on or over the near elbow. Fourth, the referee shall pause momentarily before starting wrestling. This rule change is meant to provide consistency for coaches, wrestlers and referees. While each action is currently standard practice, there has not been a written sequence of those events in the NFHS Wrestling Rules Book.

"These changes provide further rules support based on interpretations," said Bob Colgate, assistant director of the NFHS and liaison to the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee. "The clarifications make the rules easier to administer."

Read more.

To:  All Our Coaches in New York City

"My high school coach shaped my whole wrestling career," Kemp said.  "He gave me the courage to dream and to be the best.  He saw potential in me when I didn't see it in myself."

"I am thoroughly happy about the opportunity to help another athlete reach his dreams and ultimate goal," he said.  "It would be something that I could do that would last forever.  I have remembered my high school coach my whole life and probably will until the day I die."

There is no other profession where you can impact the lives of kids and be remembered until the very end other than in teaching and coaching. 

You will have the opportunity to meet and talk to Lee Kemp at the BTS/NYAC Coaches Clinic on May 16th at the NYAC. 

Information will be on www.beat-the-streets.org

The man who everyone in the wrestling world has come known as Lee Kemp, was officially known as Leroy P. Kemp, Jr., by the age of four-and-a-half, after being born Darnell Freeman to a mother and a father he would not meet until the age of 37.  On Dec. 24, 1956, in Cleveland, Ohio, he was born to 18-year-old single mother Barbara Freeman and father Theodore Mathis, Jr., also 18 and home on leave from Korea after a stint in the Army.  Already a mother of two and at the advice of her mother, Barbara Freeman gave her son up for adoption.  After spending time in two foster homes, Leroy Percy Kemp and his wife Jessie, both nearly 50 years of age, adopted young Freeman and quickly changed his name to that of his new father. 

It took nearly five years of uncertainty, but finally Kemp was given a chance at life and more importantly, two parents to love.

Jessie and Leroy, Sr., two honest and hard-working individuals, who had never owned a credit card until Kemp was in college, uprooted the family from Cleveland and purchased a 25-acre farm 30 miles northeast of the city in the rural town of Chardon.

Kemp called the move a dream come true for his parents, but for him, it was so much more.  It was a fresh start. 

A start to something special.

Initially Kemp's athletic career at Chardon High began on the basketball court, but life as a basketball player last all but two days.  His fellow classmates encouraged him to tryout for the high school wrestling team as a freshman in 1970-71, which he managed to win the conference tournament with just two one-point losses to his record.  But it would be his sophomore season where Kemp's life would change forever.  Chardon hired Richard Depenbrok as its wrestling coach and he quickly became a fan of the young and still inexperienced Kemp. 

"My high school coach shaped my whole wrestling career," Kemp said.  "He gave me the courage to dream and to be the best.  He saw potential in me when I didn't see it in myself."

Kemp became acclimated to wrestling with an average 11-8-3 campaign his sophomore season.  However in his junior year, he topped the defending runner-up and state champion in route to a perfect season.  He captured his second-straight Ohio state high school title in 1973-74 and finished his final two seasons with 24 pins and a record of 55-0-0.

His success in wrestling led Kemp to Madison and the University of Wisconsin, a town and school he immediately felt comfortable in, something other African-American student-athletes didn't necessarily feel for some time.

"Madison and rural Wisconsin were similar environments to where I grew up in a farming community," Kemp said.  "Chardon was a predominately white community, which prepared me for the environment in Wisconsin.  Typically your first year is really tough to acclimate, but it wasn't tough for me to get used to.  I had the benefit of being in a more diverse environment growing up compared to some of my black classmates."

Now all Kemp had to do was wrestle.

"I expected to win right away in college," he said.  "The coaches at Wisconsin allowed me to have those thoughts.  (Former UW head coach) Duane Kleven and I joke about it now.  I was a different type of individual, but he allowed me to be an individual."

It was at Wisconsin where Kemp earned the nickname "Lee" as well as immediate respect as a dominant wrestler.  The Badger freshman became the first rookie to ever reach the NCAA Championships title bout, but suffered a defeat by way of a split referee's decision in overtime.  Many feel the decision was unjust considering Kemp ruled the match and scored the lone takedown in the bout.

"My initial goal was not to ever lose a match in college," he said.  "I lost five my freshman year and three of those were to the same person.  I wanted to move the bar higher than where it currently was."

After that devastating defeat in the championship final, Kemp never lost again.

As an 18-year-old sophomore, he earned national recognition by defeating legendary Dan Gable and went on to win three straight NCAA Championships at 158 pounds, while compiling an impressive record of 108-0-1.  Kemp concluded his career as a Badger with a final mark of 143-6-1, including a streak of 87 straight victories and an unbeaten string of 103 consecutive matches.  That streak is fourth-best in NCAA history along with his winning percentage of .953.

"Winning my first national title was my most memorable moment," Kemp said.  "Keep in mind, I only started wrestling in the ninth grade, so to win the title in just my sixth year was pretty special.  And certainly winning my third national title was special as well."

In August of 1978, just two months after graduating from Wisconsin, Kemp defeated Bulgaria's Alexander Nanev to capture the World Freestyle Championship.  At the age of 21 years and 8 months, Kemp became the youngest American wrestler to capture a gold medal, a record that still stands today.

"That is probably the one thing I am most proud of," he said.  "I always wanted to do something that had never been done before."

He then became the first American to win the event three times, as he added the 1979 and 1982 titles to his collection, along with a bronze medal in 1981.  He also held the distinction of becoming the first American to win four straight Freestyle World Cups.  All this success pointed to an opportunity to compete in the 1980 Olympics.  Kemp was a favorite to win the gold in Moscow, but never had an opportunity to compete due to the United States' boycott of the 1980 Games.  However, Kemp did defeat the Bulgarian Valentin Raitchev, the 1980 Olympic Champion, in the Super Champions title match following the Games in December.  Four years later he placed second in the Olympic trials to Dave Schultz, who went on to win the gold medal in Los Angeles.

"(The boycott) bothers me to this day," Kemp said.  "It's tough to live with that thought.  Maybe that is the reason I got out of wrestling." 

Kemp retired shortly after the trials in 1984 and entered the business world, becoming involved in a variety of different ventures.  He worked in Chicago and New York City, and eventually took over ownership of a car dealership in a suburb of the Minneapolis/St. Paul area in Minnesota.

In February of 1990, Depenbrok returned to induct Kemp into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, which he called a "confirmation of a lifetime of wrestling."

Perhaps it was also a sign to become more involved in the sport that provided him so much fame in life.

Kemp started the Lee Kemp Cooler Wrestling Club as his way to give back to the wrestling community.

"I get excited about going to practice each day," he said.  "I remember the impact it had on me, so I'm very aware of how much of an impact it could have on these kids."

The impact stemmed from Kemp's high school mentor just simply believing in him.  Now, Kemp shows his kids he believes in them.

In recent years, Kemp coached the U.S. World Freestyle Team World at the 2007 World Championships in Guangzhou, China, as well as the U.S. Junior World Freestyle Team at the 2007 Junior World Championships in Beijing.  Last November, Kemp was confirmed as Team USA's freestyle coach for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing this summer.

It took 28 years, but Kemp will finally have his chance to compete at the Olympics.

"I am thoroughly happy about the opportunity to help another athlete reach his dreams and ultimate goal," he said.  "It would be something that I could do that would last forever.  I have remembered my high school coach my whole life and probably will until the day I die."

And now Kemp's life has come full circle.  The sense of pride and accomplishment of his individual success is there, but now he is where he was meant to be and doing what he was meant to do.

Helping others become champions.

USA Wrestling: Northeast Kids Regionals

The Phil Porteuse Northeastern Kids and Cadet Regional Championships will be hosted by NY-USAW in Binghamton at the Broome County Community College Ice Rink on May 30-June 1st.

The event is named after a great man, Phil Porteuse , who was very active in New Jersey and NYS Wrestling through the 1970's until his death a few years ago with cancer.

The event draws wrestlers from all over New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and has always been well run by the national office of USA Wrestling.

It is an outstanding event for Kids and Cadets in being introduced to Freestyle and Greco -Roman Regional competition. This is a high level event and parents and youth coaches should be aware of the talent level at this tournament.

Many of the top wrestlers in high school today from these states are products of the USAW Regional Championships...for more information please click below for applications and contact numbers.

• Tournament Flyer
• Waiver

LEE KEMP COACHING CLINIC

One of America's Top Wrestlers
3 time World Champion and 3 time NCAA Champion
1980 Olympic Team
2008 US Olympic Freestyle Coach

Friday May 16th, 2008
At the New York Athletic Club (58th St and 7th Ave in Manhattan)

Registration and Social: 7:30pm -8pm

PROGRAM
Q & A with Lee Kemp: 8pm-8:30pm
Technique Demonstrations: 8:30pm- 9pm
Social with finger foods: 9pm-10:00pm

Clinic Fee: $35
2008 USA Wrestling Coaches Members: $20
Beat the Streets & New York City HS Coaches: Guests of Beat the Streets Wrestling Inc.

For more information contact:
Sonny Greenhalgh, sonny@cnjgroup.com
Mike Cigala, mcigalabts@yahoo.com
Larry Cantor, LCantor2@schools.nyc.gov

Spring Wrestling Makes Winter Champions

NY-USAWrestling has announced the New York State Cadet and Jr. Freestyle and Greco-Roman Championships scheduled for May 9-11 at Broome Community College in Binghamton.

The Bill Knapp Kids Freestyle and Greco-Roman Championships are scheduled for May 3-4 at Amsterdam HS.

Congratulation to Steven Keith for winning the prestigious FILA Cadet National Championships and being selected as USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week.

New York City had several wrestlers participating in the Championships and did very well.  As the expression goes "you got to be in it, to win it".

Making the trip was Lou DeStefano, Head Coach at Monsignor Farrell HS.  Many of these wrestlers train at the Beat the Streets Training Center on Staten Island.

Connor Hanafee - 128 - went 3-2 in Greco roman - 4 and 2 in freestyle - beat a NC and Washington state runner-up - lost a 3 period match to the Ohio State Champ and lost a 3 period match on the leg clinch in the All American round - was 10 seconds away!

Tony Carlo - went 2 and 2 in freestyle

Danny Franco (Petrides) and Kevin Hartnett (Farrell) both went 1 and 2 in freestyle and Greco roman

YEVGENIY KOMISSAROV (Madison HS) - went 2-2 in Greco 2008- 5 wrestlers entered. 2009- a Full Contingent of New York City wrestlers will be "getting into the mix". 

• INFO ON NEW YORK – USA WRESTLING 2008 WILLIAM “BILL” KNAPP KIDS STATE FREESTYLE & GRECO WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS, MAY 3-4, AMSTERDAM, NY: Page 1. Page 2. Registration Form.

Steven Keith named TheMat.com Athlete of the Week for April 8-14
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
04/16/2008

Steven Keith (Shoreham, N.Y./Team New York) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for April 8-14.

Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level. The announcement will be made each week on Wednesday.

Keith won the 50 kg/110 lbs. division in freestyle at the FILA Cadet National Championships in Akron, Ohio, April 12-13, and was named the Outstanding Wrestler.

Read more.

Results from the 2008 New York City Junior and Cadet Freestyle Qualifier Wrestling Tournament
Held April 13, 2008 at Petrides HS in Staten Island

• Cadet Results
• Junior Results

The Road to Fargo Continues

Baldwin HS and Petrides HS on Sunday hosted the first leg of the Road to Fargo with over 400 wrestlers at these two events qualifying Cadet and HS wrestlers for the New York State Freestyle Championships scheduled for Binghamton on May 10-12.

This weeks qualifiers are scheduled for Kings Park HS in Suffolk County and Chester High School in Orange County. Both sites are within a 90 minute drive from New York City.

Attached are the applications and information about the two state qualifying tournaments.

Spring and summer wrestling is a great opportunity to develop the skills that are needed in order to compete at the state, regional and national level. If we examine the results of the NCCA Championships every year, over 90% of the wrestlers who win All-American honors follow the same journey to becoming an All-American.

Freestyle wrestling teaches young wrestlers the value of learning good positions in that, the rules are designed to reward wrestlers who execute good technique, kinesthetic awareness and tactical/technical skills.

Coaches encourage your wrestlers to participate in off season wrestling...it is FUN and a chance to meet kids from all over the State.

• Section 9 Tournament Info (Chester, NY)
• Section 11 Tournament Info (Kings Park, NY)

TheWomensMat.com, a complete source on women's wrestling, is up and running
Elizabeth Wiley USA Wrestling
04/04/2008

USA Wrestling is pleased to announce the creation of TheWomensMat.com, a complete guide to women's wrestling.

"It's a one-stop shop, a one-stop location for anyone involved in women's wrestling to go for information," U.S. Women's Freestyle Coach Terry Steiner said.

This website will provide exactly what women's wrestling has been missing, a central location that has everything related to the sport.

"It really should be an all-inclusive site," said Steiner. "It has information on camps, competitions, and technical advice."

Visit www.thewomensmat.com today to find out what all the fuss is about!

TheWomensMat.com features a variety of content including blogs from top female wrestlers, an elite access section, and current news.

Read more.

Hasseman, Jantzen among champions at Northeast Regional Olympic Trials in freestyle
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
04/05/2008

BROCKPORT, N.Y. - Seven freestyle wrestlers earned a place in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials with victories in their weight classes at the Northeast Regional Olympic Trials held at Tuttle North Gymnasium at SUNY-Brockport on Saturday.

The Outstanding Wrestler at the tournament was Bryce Hasseman (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), who captured the 84 kg/185 lbs. weight class.

In a battle of nationally ranked wrestlers in the finals, Hasseman defeated Tony Gansen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 0-2, 2-0, 1-0. In the

Hasseman won six matches on the way to his title, including a 2-0, 3-0 win in the quarterfinals over Matt Pell (Charlottesville, Va./Cavalier WC), the eventual bronze medalist.

Read more.

New York State Qualifiers

New York-USAW has announced additional qualifiers for the New York State Schoolboys, Cadets and Junior Championships to be held in on May 9 -10-11 at Broome Community College Binghamton, New York.

In order to participate at the State Championships a wrestler must enter any freestyle qualifier held throughout New York State. The State Championships will qualify wrestlers for the New York State State Teams participating in the USA Wrestling Kids, Schoolboys, Cadets and Jr. National Championships and the Schoolboy, Cadet and Jr. National Team Duals.

Qualification Tournaments for the New York City Metropolitan area are:

April 12th Sat. Baldwin High School- Kids- Midgets, Novice, Schoolboys and Cadets
April 13th Sun. Baldwin High School- Jr. and Open Championships
Directions- Take Southern State Parkway to Grand Ave. South and go 4 miles the school is located on Kohlberg Avenue behind a Shopping Center
LIRR- Take a train from Penn Station and get off...walk 3 blocks to the school.

April 13th- Sunday- Petrides HS- Cadets and Jr's
Directions-Belt Parkway to Verrazano Bridge to Richmond Road Exit. Turn left on Renwich Road and make a right turn to the school's entrance.

Suffolk County is also organizing a Qualifier in a few weeks and is looking for a site. Please contact Amy Prenderville, Section 11 Chairman if you are interested helping wrestling by hosting a qualifier.

SECTION 11 CHAIRMAN
Amy Prenderville
313 Park Avenue
Babylon, NY 11702
631-893-4148
AJPrenderville@netscape.net

All Competitors must have a valid 2008 USA Wrestling Competitive Membership Card, a Red/Blue Singlet or a Reversible. Both Cards and Equipment will be on sale at the events.

For More Information: Contact the Sectional Reps.

Ray Adams- Sec. 8- 516-623-4157
Larry Cantor- New York City- evenings- 212-865-3549
Amy Prenderville- Suffolk-Sec. 11- 631-893-4148
Ed Gould State Chairman-516-379-9832

Event Flyers:

• Kids
• Junior
• Open

NWMA announces annual national wrestling journalism award winners
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
03/24/2008

On behalf of the Beat the Streets Wrestling Inc, we extend to Danielle our sincere congratulations for being recognized by the Journalist Community for  outstanding work in the field of wrestling photography.

For the past 18 months, she has been the Beat the Streets Webmaster and Photographer.  The website and the internet itself has been a wonderful tool for us to get our message out to the New York City community.  The scope of the Beat the Streets Wrestling Program is a tremendous undertaking with over 1000 schools, colleges and clubs in the New York City Metropolitan area that we are trying to make into a "wrestling family".

Our mission of expanding the base of wrestling from Youth through the Olympics requires a tremendous communication effort.  Danielle, through her skills, has a created the Beat the Streets Website that provides us a vehicle for communication to our large and diverse community. 

Once again, CONGRATULATIONS!

Photographer of the Year - Danielle Hobeika

Hobeika started photographing wrestling in 1997, her senior year of high school, and the year she started wrestling as an athlete. She had been an avid artistic photographer for the previous 4 years, and put the two things she loved together in her wrestling photography.

She was a member of the wrestling team at Harvard Univ., and continued photography there, working for the school's newspaper, the Harvard Crimson. She also provided photos to the wrestling program for use in promotion of the sport.

In 2002, the year after she graduated college, she was introduced to a photographer and wrestling enthusiast named Al Elrefai, who knew she had both an interest in web design and photography. Together, they developed a website for posting wrestling photos called AmateurWrestlingPhotos.com.

For the past six years, Hobeika, along with Elrefei and wrestler/photographer Julieta Okot, have photographed numerous amateur wrestling events from the youth level up to the Olympic level. Her personal focus has been covering the collegiate level of wrestling, and this year also expanded her coverage to include photographing Mixed Martial Arts fights.

Publications in which her photos have appeared include WIN Magazine, Amateur Wrestling News, The Morning Call Newspaper, the New York Athletic Club's Winged Foot Magazine, Newsday, Pennsylvania Wrestling News, and others.

She has been a competitor on the Senior women's wrestling circuit for the past decade. Hobeika placed second at the 2002 U.S.Nationals and qualified three times for the U.S. Women's National Team. In addition, she has designed numerous websites for the sport of wrestling, assisting both organizations and individual athletes in having their own websites specific to their needs.

From Kindergarten through Open there are Events for ALL. This Weekend, From the Jersey Shore (Wildwood, NJ) to the Hudson Valley (Brewster, NY), Long Island (Middle Island, NY) or Upstate (Rochester, NY) and Many in Between!

Click here for more info.

Maroulis commits to USOEC freestyle resident athlete program
Shannyn Gillespie USOEC
03/14/2008

The U.S. Olympic Education Center (USOEC) has received a verbal commitment from Helen Maroulis of Rockville, Maryland (Colonel Zadok Magruder High School).

Maroulis, a member of the 2007 ASICS Girls High School All-American Team, will enter the USOEC resident athlete program as a high school senior and will attend Marquette Senior High School.

The USOEC has a star studded 2008-2009 recruiting class that includes Amy Whitbeck, Adeline Gray, Emily Martin, Patricia Hill, Veronica Carlson, Melissa Apodaca, Erin Golston, and Brenda Mendoza.

Read More.

AFRICAN AMERICAN NCAA WRESTLING GREATS TO BE HONORED AT FAN FEST ON THURSDAY, MARCH 20: TRAVELING EXHIBIT HONORS "50 YEARS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WRESTLING EXCELLENCE"

ST. LOUIS - March 13, 2008 - The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum will honor the contributions made by African Americans to the sport of wrestling in a special recognition ceremony on Thursday, March 20 at the 2008 NCAA Wrestling Championships Fan Fest at Union Station. 

Free to the public, the event will begin at 5 p.m. with the official recognition of the greats in attendance.  A Q&A forum with former NCAA All-Americans­ Bobby Douglas (Oklahoma State), Lloyd Keaser (Navy), Lee Kemp (Wisconsin), Kenny Monday (Oklahoma State), and Simon Roberts (Iowa) will follow.  Roberts became the first African American NCAA wrestling champion 50 years ago.  The event will conclude with an autograph session.

A special traveling exhibit, entitled "50 Years of African American Wrestling Excellence," will be on site at the Fan Fest throughout the Championships (March 20-22).  The exhibit features a timeline of African American wrestling firsts and a list of African American NCAA champions, Olympians, and hall of famers.

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum will hold a champions reunion and social prior to the recognition ceremony at 3:30 p.m.  Tickets for the reunion and social, which is open to the public, are $35 and can be purchased by calling Krista at 405/377-5243.

The 2008 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships are hosted by the University of Missouri and the St. Louis Sports Commission.  This marks the fourth time this decade St. Louis hosts the event.  The Championships return to Scottrade Center in 2009.  For event schedule and ticket information, visit stlsports.org/wrestling .

GIRLS WRESTLING: Results of the NY State Folkstyle Women's Tournament

Middle School Results
89 pound 1st place Hanna Grisewood from Warsaw, NY
96 pounds 1st place Andrea Marsh from Panama, NY
103 pounds 1st place Meghan Clark from Ballston Spa, NY winner over Papa by pin 3:22
103 pounds 2nd place Gabriele Papa  from Salamanca, NY
118 pounds 1st place Mary Westman from Cattaragus, NY

High School results
95 pounds 1st place  Carlene Sluberski from Fredonia, NY
102 pounds 1st place Emily Buck from Pine City, NY
109 pounds 1st place Jenna Burkert from Middle Island, NY winner over Clark by pin :42
109 pounds 2nd place Amanda Clark  from Ballston Spa, NY
123 pounds 1st place Logan Howard  from Dewittville, NY winner over Prifte by decision 2-0
123 pounds 2nd place ShanaLee Prifte  from Shoreham, NY
130 pounds 1st place Michelle Quiles  from Forestville, NY winner over Thompson by pin :46
130 pounds 2nd place Charis Thompson  from Fredonia, NY
146 pounds 1st place Shorna Brown  from Kingston, NY
155 pounds 1st place Kelsea Suchocki  from Summit, NY winner over Strang 9-4, winner over Westman 15-0
155 pounds 2nd place Alexandra Strang  from Rochester, NY winner over Westman 4-3
155 pounds 3rd place Ashley Westman  from Cattaragus, NY

Read More.

NYU Wrestling Finishes 12th at the NCAA Championships: Hult Takes Bronze, Hashimoto Finishes Fifth

03/08/08

New York University senior Stephen Hult won the bronze medal and senior captain Takafumi Hashimoto took fifth place in their respective weight classes at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships on Saturday, March 8, at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Hult, seeded #4 at 141 pounds, defeated #8 seed Travis Grawin of Luther College in the third-place match by a score of 6-2.

Hult earned All-America honors for the first time with his performance, and tied for the best finish ever at the NCAA Championships by an NYU wrestler.

Mat McClenahan, a two-time All-American, finished third in the 118-pound weight class in 1990.

Hult, who did not wrestle at all during the 2006-07 season, became the first NYU wrestler ever to earn All-America honors in the 141-pound weight class.

Read more

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It's not to say Ben Villaret had it easy. Just easier than the three guys he's traveling with this weekend.

Villaret is the prodigy-type, the kid who was practicing with the Monsignor Farrell guys when he was in seventh grade, who won a state schoolboy title in eighth grade.

"He's a stud," says Farrell wrestling coach Lou DeStefano.

Now he's just the third Lion wrestler to win a Catholic state title and advance to the New York State championships as a sophomore.

Villaret, a 125-pounder, will be in Rochester this weekend for the two-day tournament with three teammates -- Connor Hanafee, Kevin Hartnett and John Newman -- as Farrell becomes just the second Island school to qualify four individuals for the state championships.

But it's safe to say Villaret's road to Rochester carries a little less intrigue than his those of his teammates. When it comes to backstory, they've got him beat.

Read more.

Long Island's Jr. High Battle Royale Wrestling Tournament

DATE & TIME: Sunday, March 30, 2008
Check-in & Weigh-in @7:30-8:00 a.m.
LOCATION: Massapequa High School , 4925 Merrick Road, Massapequa, New York 11758

More Info

Steven Perez a New York City wrestler graduating class 2006 from Francis Lewis High School, finished 7th at the 2008 Junior College National Wrestling Championships, Rochester, Minnesota. With this victory at the Junior College Nationals Steven Perez attained title of "All American".

Steven Perez decided to go to Nassau Community College at the encouragement of his coach Beat the Streets' very own DrMWSpanakos also an alumnus of NCC wrestling. Steven. Perez, is a PSAL 2006 Heisman Wingate recipient and past captain of his high school team. During his PSAL high school career Steven Perez was undefeated in PSAL competition for all three years of participation. During the off season Steven Perez will be taking his wrestling to Parsons the local BTS training center helping other up and coming wrestlers along with another local product Andre DeChristo who is presently going to the Division 3 nationals for Hunter College.

Congratulations Paul Schmidt, Head Coach of Nassau Community College in capturing the Junior College National Team Championship.

Four Farrell wrestlers grab state crowns
Hanafee, Hartnett, Villaret and Newman earn spots in next month's state federation meet
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 By STEPHEN HART STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE

> Click here for video

MINEOLA, L.I. -- Lou DeStefano had one word to sum up Monsignor Farrell's performance yesterday at the Catholic State Wrestling Championships.

"Unreal," the third-year mentor said after his Lions went 4 for 4 in the finals at Chaminade HS, becoming the second Island CHSAA team to send four grapplers to the State Federation Tournament in the same season. "I'm a very happy coach right now."

Making DeStefano smile were gold medalists Connor Hanafee (112 pounds), Kevin Hartnett (119), Ben Villaret (125) and John Newman (189). Farrell also won half of its eight consolation matches, making it a banner day for the Lions -- and for Staten Island and New York City wrestling, in general.

"We're shortening the gap with Long Island. It's real close," said St. Joseph by-the-Sea junior Jesse Cusimano, who lost in the championship match to Hartnett -- the first all-Island final in tourney history -- while joining Sea teammate Ryan Mallory (160) with solid second-place finishes.

"It's a huge day," added DeStefano, who only had four seniors among his 12 grapplers yesterday, a contingent that helped Farrell garner second in the large-school team standings to Chaminade.

Read More.

By TOM BERG The Orange County Register

This is his last shot - the final match of his high school career.

Cullen Fitzgibbons walks to the wrestling mat circle in his singlet and headgear, expecting victory - like he always does. Yet in four years with the Los Alamitos High School wrestling team, he's never won.

His record this year is 0-6. In four years, he's gone 0-27. He never even made varsity, but still - he believes. He's the first to arrive at practice, five days a week. He adheres to a strict, unwavering diet - including three juices, two yogurts and a bag of Cheerios every lunch. He even has his own fan club.

Who does the wrestling team carry atop their shoulders into the annual pep rally? Cullen. Who do the cheerleaders rush to hug first? Cullen. Who do the fans cheer loudest for - even in defeat? Cullen.

His last shot at victory awaits.

In the first round, opponent Cameron Harrison, of arch-rival Esperanza High School, scores a takedown, but Cullen scores a reversal: 2-2.

Deep in the second round, Cullen scores a takedown to tie Harrison 6-6, then Harrison scores an escape to edge ahead 7-6 with one round to go.

In four years, Cullen has never outscored an opponent. He's never enjoyed the warm glow of victory. Never felt the referee raise his arm following a match. But in the next 60 seconds, he has a shot at the impossible.

Cullen Fitzgibbons, the improbable wrestler with Down syndrome, might actually win.

Read more.

Petrides Grapplers Capture Team Title
By Larry A. Cantor, Wrestling Commissioner

Patience is a virtue, and so it is with the Petrides Panthers, as they captured this years PSAL Dual Meet Wrestling Championship by defeating the Lehman Lions 54-21.

Abraham Lincoln persevered before being elected President of the United States. In this same vain, through fortitude, Petrides took home the Gold.

Both the consolation dual meet, where Grand Street Campus defeated the Madison Knights for third place by a score of 59-22, and the Championship round were graciously hosted by John Bowne High School, under the direction of Head Coach Vinny Romano.

Excitement and spirit enriched the air in an almost capacity filled gymnasium.

PSAL wrestling continues to make its mark through a new birth of developmental teams.

New York City Wrestling on the go!!!!

By Gary Abbott 
USA Wrestling/Themat.com 
gabbott@usawrestling.org

As we get deeper into the college and high school seasons, wrestling fans are focused upon the outstanding competition and tremendous athletes that compete in our academic institutions. The NCAA Wrestling Championships has become a major spectator event, and the college season is followed closely all over the nation. Likewise, the state high school championship is a major event all over the nation, as young men and women pursue their personal dreams within prep wrestling.

The junior high school, high school and college system provides one of the true strengths of American wrestling. Through our schools, young people are exposed to wrestling and participate in the sport as part of a team. The structure of the athletic programs within our educational institutions has allowed wrestling to grow and thrive in this nation. No country has wrestling so ingrained in its school program as the United States.

However, in so many ways, the club system is truly a foundation for wrestling in our nation. This is where so many young children first learn about wrestling, and where they develop the skills needed for the sport. This is where athletes go to get additional training and competition after the school seasons have ended. This is how our elite wrestlers get the support, funding and training opportunities to pursue World and Olympic medals for the United States.

Read more.

One leg, and lots of heart in this prep wrestler
By Jim Halley, USA TODAY

Ryan Kocer has wrestled his way to three South Dakota high school titles. Last Aug. 25, though, the 17-year-old from the Great Lakes region of the state was pinned by an opponent he couldn't handle - a two-ton pickup - and lost a leg.

Kocer (pronounced coach-er), who also played football for Wagner High School, had run for two touchdowns the previous day as his Red Raiders defeated Miller Area 35-0 in the first game of the season.

To help celebrate the big win the next night, Kocer decided to hang out with his friends in a parking lot in town.

"I said, 'Well, it's kind of late,' " his father, Don, says. "And he stayed home and he was fine with staying home."

But his friends called again and Kocer decided to sneak out of the house around 11 p.m. after his parents went to bed.

Because it was a warm evening, the windows at his house were open. Not to wake his parents, Kocer put his Ford 250 pickup in neutral and pushed it down the driveway. When the truck began to get away from him and headed toward a grain bin, he tried to stop it by pushing back.

Kocer slipped on the dewy grass and was pinned between the truck and the grain bin. When the pickup rocked backward, he rolled away. In the short time he was pinned, the vehicle's weight had broken the tibia in his right leg and crushed the knee cap of his left.

As both legs swelled with fluid, he tried calling the house with his cellphone but the service was spotty and it rang only once. He crawled to the truck and honked the horn to wake his parents, in bed a quarter-mile away. His mother, Jody, heard the noise and awoke her husband.

Read More.

2008 Columbia Wrestling Homecoming

When - Friday, February 22 & Saturday, February 23
Where - The Blue Gym, Columbia University

Friday, February 22
6:00pm - Match vs. Harvard
8:00pm - Post-match social at The Heights Restaurant
(2730 Broadway between 111th & 112th St)

Saturday, February 23
2:00pm - Match vs. Brown

(If you were planning on attending the dual meet tomorrow in Philadelphia the match vs. Drexel was changed from 5pm to 6:30pm)

Fulp-Allen, Mocco and Herbert delivers strong performance s for the NYAC to win titles at Dave Schultz Memorial International

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Jake Herbert took an Olympic redshirt for one main reason.

He wants to win an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling.

Herbert proved he is serious about his lofty aspirations, knocking off 2007 World seventh-place finisher Davyd Bichinashvili of Germany in the finals of the Dave Schultz Memorial International.

Herbert, a 2007 NCAA champion for Northwestern who is taking an Olympic redshirt this season, outlasted Bichinashvili 7-0, 1-4, 4-3 in the finals at 84 kg/185 lbs. on Sunday night at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

"It was a big win," Herbert said. "(Bichinashvili) beat a lot of tough guys. There were a lot of good Americans in this weight and I was glad to come out on top. Really, it's more training for the Olympics. That's more important than just getting this win."

Herbert (Wexford, Pa./New York AC) won an action-packed third period that featured a pair of wild scrambles in a physical bout. A final sequence of the match was reviewed on videotape, but Herbert maintained his 4-3 edge to claim the win.

"I stepped it up mentally after I kind of let down in the second period," Herbert said. "I was getting a little tired but so was he. I just tried to stay aggressive."

Steve Mocco (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) capped a dominating performance in freestyle by dismantling Markus Hamann of Germany 1-0, 5-1 in the finals at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Mocco was named Outstanding Wrestler in freestyle.

Mocco was in Hamann's face from start to finish and wore his opponent down with an aggressive attack. Mocco is looking to make the Olympic Team this year after being runner-up the last three years at the U.S. World Team Trials.

American Sara Fulp-Allen (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) won a loaded women's freestyle class at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., coming from behind to score a third-period pin over Clarissa Chun in the finals. Fulp-Allen was named Outstanding Wrestler in women's freestyle.

"It was definitely an exciting day," Fulp-Allen said. "I took a peek at the brackets, and I felt I had a good draw. I had to wrestle the Polish girl and I had wrestled her in practice a few times. I felt confident. I knew I had to be patient. When I won that, and after Stephanie (Murata) lost, I felt I could win it all."

NYU Wins UAA Wrestling Championship
02/08/08

New York University won both of its matches to claim the 2008 University Athletic Association Wrestling Championship. The competition was held on Saturday at NYU's Jerome S. Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.

After Chicago defeated Case Western Reserve University 35-12 in the first match and NYU followed with a 44-6 win over Case, the two winners met for the title.

In that final match, NYU won the first three bouts, then clinched its 22-12 victory on 184-pounder Nick Coleman's 6-0 shutout win.

It was the fourth UAA title for NYU and its first since 2006. The team also won the championship in 1999 and 2000.

Chicago, which won the championship in 2007, has accumulated has collected the most teams titles (12), in the 21-year history of the event.

"This win means a lot to us and a lot to our University," said NYU head coach Bruce Haberli, who along with his assistants, were named UAA Coaching Staff of the Year. "Winning these two matches keeps us on track to achieve our goal of having only one loss this dual-meet season."

NYU now 14-1 and ranked #15 by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, will conclude its dual-meet season by facing the University of Scranton and Morrisville State College next Saturday.

"It's great to have our seniors end their careers with this type of success," Haberli said. "It's been a total team effort this whole season, and we still have some goals to accomplish."

Wrestling's return to St. Peter's a success

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- High school wrestling made its return to New Brighton last night as St. Peter's hosted its first mat event in four years.

Appropriately the Eagles brought back some of the old guard to accomplish the feat as former SP wrestlers now coaches Brendan Hayes (McKee/S.I. Tech) and James Ryan (Port Richmond) brought their squads in for a non-league tri-meet.

"It was nice to get some of the former St. Peter's wrestlers in here on a night when we brought wrestling back to the school," said SP coach Tristen Haggerty.

The Eagles highlighted the meet with a pair of wins while MSIT edged Port Richmond on criteria, when the two teams finished in a 36-36 tie. The Sea Gulls held a 4-1 edge in pins.

Read more.

Is it possible for an international wrestler to complete a career undefeated? Is it possible for any wrestler to complete a career without a loss?

At the 2000 Olympics, the undefeated three-time Olympic champion Alexander Kareline was upset in the Olympic finals in Sydney, Australia by an unknown American farm boy named Rulon Gardner. That victory was the most important story from the Sydney Games, and thrust Rulon Gardner into celebrity status on the international scene.

What Kareline achieved in wrestling was amazing. Starting in 1985, when he won a gold medal at the Espoir World Championships held in Colorado Springs, Colo., Kareline won a gold medal in every international event he entered, winning every single match. This Siberian superman racked up three Olympic golds, nine World titles, 12 European championships and many other open international tournaments. Athletes feared to wrestle Kareline, some even rolling over for him rather than facing his amazing reverse lift throw.

Yet, even Alexander Kareline could be beaten. In fact, any wrestler can, and most probably will, get defeated if they stay in the sport very long.

This past week, within women's freestyle wrestling, an upset victory that can be compared with the Kareline loss occurred. Again, a little known American named Marcie Van Dusen spoiled the attempt of Japanese superstar Saori Yoshida from completing her international career undefeated.

Wrestling is For Everybody!

Amazing awaits. It awaits in athletes like Rohan Murphy, a Paralympic hopeful and student athlete at Penn State University, who has one goal in mind:  Competing in powerlifting at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China.

Murphy is defying the odds. Born with a birth defect resulting in the amputation of both of his legs, Murphy doesn't know the word "can't." He also doesn't make excuses.

As a High Schooler wrestling for Guy Leggio of East Islip HS in Suffolk County, Long Island made it to the finals of tough Section 11 Championships leading all the way with 5 seconds to go before being reversed.

Murphy's athleticism and can-do attitude is now being featured in a new Nike commercial themed "No Excuses." The video can be found on the attached web-link - www.usparalympics.org . Please join us in distributing the link to friends, family and business partners in an effort to identify and increase the number of persons with physical disabilities active in sport by making them aware of what's possible.

Amazing awaits!

New NCAA DIII Metropolitan Rankings for the week of 1/28/08

Click here.

Wagner College community saddened by wrestler's death

Notte stars at Nassau, will move on to Hofstra

By John Vogeding

Chris Notte can reflect on his most recent accomplishment with pride.

Notte, the former four-time district and three-time Region 7 champion from Holy Cross High School, is a sophomore at Nassau Community College. Last weekend he won the New York State Intercollegiate Championship at 133 pounds -- impressively.

After opening with a 17-2 technical fall, Notte won 11-1 and 8-2 before defeating Army junior and two-year starter Whitt Dunning 3-1 to improve to 25-2 on the season.

"It was a good tournament. I wrestled pretty tough," Notte said.

Notte has signed to attend Hofstra University next year.

"I don't look down on not going to a four-year university right out of high school," said Notte, who was 35-6 and third in the Junior College Nationals as a freshman. "It has enabled me to mature as a student and athlete. It has been a stepping stone to the next level."

Notte went to Nassau on the recommendation of West Virginia University head coach Craig Turnbull. Prior to committing to Hofstra, Notte was being courted by Purdue, Boston College and Penn State, among others.

"I plan to redshirt next year since I'll be on a three-year scholarship," said Notte, who is carrying a 2.9 grade point average this semester and has a cumulative 2.95 at Nassau.

Read more.

The article below supports our basic belief in the Beat the Streets Wrestling Program. It is not where you start, it is where you finish! See what an individual can achieve just by being given a special opportunity. A must read for all BTS Wrestlers.

Johnson focuses on learning in the classroom and on the mat
Elizabeth Wiley USA Wrestling
01/25/2008

Wrestling can be a grueling sport, but United States Greco-Roman wrestler R.C. Johnson has learned that staying relaxed and having fun helps him achieve success on the mat.

"I used to get mad and aggressive," Johnson said. "I wanted to win, every time, but then I realized so does everyone else."

With more than a decade of training and competition in wrestling under his belt, Johnson is now able to enjoy competition. However, his journey to reach this point has been anything but simple.

Johnson has been a member of the U.S. Greco-Roman National Team for two years, which includes the top three wrestlers in each weight class. To get to where he is now he has followed the Olympic progression from the U.S. Olympic Education Center (USOEC) at Northern Michigan to the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs.

As a freshman in high school, Johnson had never stepped foot on a wrestling mat until a friend from the football team talked him into going out for the team that winter.

"He told me that I should come out, and it would be fun," said Johnson.

Read More.

01/26/08

The New York University wrestling team won all three of its matches at a tri-meet held at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, January 26.

NYU, ranked #26 in the latest Brute/Adidas National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Poll, recorded four pins en route to a 33-10 win over host King's College in its first match. Sophomore Kyle Christensen (125), junior Patrick Knight (165), junior Naum Shuminov (174), and senior tri-captain Nick Coleman (184) all left their opponents on the canvas.

In its second match. NYU upset #15-ranked York (PA) College 19-16. Shuminov recorded another pin, while Coleman produced a shutout (4-0) decision.

In its final match, NYU breezed past Gettysburg College 32-13, as Shuminov recorded his third pin of the day and Coleman posted his second. Senior Stephen Hult (141) also recorded a pin for his third win of the day.

Senior tri-captain Takafumi Hashimoto (157) won both of his bouts, including a 5-4 decision over York's John Neidrich, the #1-ranked wrestler in the Metropolitan Conference.

"Takafumi in some respects is out best-kept secret," said NYU head coach Bruce Haberli.

Read more.

Depleted Lions finish fourth at Long Island-NYC dual meet
Chaminade edges host St. Anthony's, as Farrell limps to 2-2 mark; Sea goes 0-4
Sunday, January 20, 2008 By JASON BOCK ADVANCE STAFF WRITER

SOUTH HUNTINGTON, L.I. -- The third annual Long Island-NYC CHSAA Dual Championship turned into a two-horse race late yesterday afternoon, and unfortunately for Monsignor Farrell and coach Lou DeStefano, the Lions didn't have the horses.

Chaminade and the host Friars each finished a perfect 4-0 and it was the Flyers that came away with the title and the tournament's "rusty cup" edging St. Anthony's in the second tiebreaker -- total bouts won -- 42-39.

Kellenberg Memorial (3-1) finished third with wins over Fordham Prep, St. Joseph by-the-Sea and Xavier; while Farrell tied St. John the Baptist of West Islip for fourth with a 2-2 record.

Read More.

Powerful Bulgarian team sending three World champions to Chicago Cup; tickets now available

DATE: 1/19/2008 3:08:00 AM By Craig Sesker
USA Wrestling

There will be no shortage of firepower on the mat for the second edition of the Chicago Cup.

The 2007 World champion U.S. Greco-Roman team is scheduled to face a powerful team from Bulgaria that includes three individual World champions.

Rosters have been finalized and tickets are now on sale for the Chicago Cup, set for Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. The inaugural event was a huge success with 7,000 fans packing Northwestern's Welsh-Ryan Arena in 2007.

Read More.

CSTV 2008 Wrestling Schedule

Click here to see the full schedule of wrestling events broadcasted on CSTV.

Marano, Vering and U.S. Greco-Roman World Team honored as 2007 USOC Wrestlers and Team of the Year
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
01/16/2008

The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) has honored its 2007 Wrestling Male and Female Athletes of the Year, as well as its Wrestling Team of the Year.

The Male Wrestler of the Year is 2007 World silver medalist Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC). The Female Wrestler of the Year is 2007 World silver medalist Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC). The Wrestling Team of the Year is the 2007 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team.

It is the fourth time Marano has won this award (2000, 2003, 2006, 2007). It is the first time that Vering has won this award.

Read More.

Boys and girls grappling with newest battle of sexes

BY MITCH ABRAMSON, NY Daily News

Janel Gonzalez's reaction was one of pure joy. Moments after the 96-pounder from Lehman pinned her opponent in a PSAL wrestling match, Gonzalez, a 4-6½ spigot of energy who is also a cheerleader, cupped her hand over her mouth.

"I was shocked that I really won," she said of her first win of the season, which came against Petrides' Emmanuel Bandoo on Jan. 3. "I didn't believe it at first. I was just shaking my head. I tried to go back to the bench, but I was suffocated by hugs."

Such scenes of hysteria are becoming more common this winter, in what has amounted to a breakout season for girls wrestling in New York City.

Approximately 40 girls from 16 PSAL schools are pulling on a singlet and taking their spot on the mats, according to data compiled in December by Mike Spanakos of the Beat the Streets program. With 15 fledgling developmental squads this season bringing the number of PSAL wrestling programs to 45, the number of girls is noticeably increasing.

Some, like Gonzalez, say they were attracted to the sport's physical component. Baruch's Joann Lee, a former team manager who grew frustrated as a spectator and discovered she is a terror on the mat, wrote her college essay on her experiences as a grappler.

Read More.

The New York University wrestling team captured the eight-team Plymouth State University Invitational on Sunday in Plymouth, New Hampshire.

Buoyed by winning four individual weight classes, NYU, ranked #27 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Brute-Adidas Division III Team Rankings, accumulated 120 points and held off second-place Roger Williams University (112 points).

Bridgewater State College, which finished third with 99 points, also had four individual winners.

NYU winners included senior Tom Masciale (133 pounds), freshman Gregg Martino (141), freshman Matt Magill (149), and junior Alex Chianurashvilli (197).

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Monsignor Farrell High School of Staten Island, New York is currently ranked number one in duals and tournament strength statewide for the CHSAA.

The Beat the Streets Wrestling Program congratulates Lou DeStefano, the 2007 Beat the Streets High School Coach of the Year, for his dedication and work ethic helping to  bring New York City wrestling to the top tier in New York State.

The Monsignor Farrell Team will be participating in the 2008 Eastern States Classic at Sullivan Community College in Monticello, New York over the week-end.  The Eastern States Classic attracts 61 high schools from six states while many past New York State Champions have participated in the annual event. 

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NYU Wrestlers Sweep at Elizabethtown

The New York University wrestling team defeated both of its opponents, beating Muhlenberg College 21-12 and Elizabethtown College 26-13 in dual matches on Wednesday afternoon in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania.

NYU, ranked #27 in the nation in the latest Brute-Adidas National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Poll, won six of the 10 bouts in each match to raise its record to 6-1 this season.

Sophomore Kyle Christensen posted falls for NYU in both matches. He pinned Mulhlenberg's Dan McEnroy in 2:27 and Elizabethtown's Marty Harnish in 1:51 in his 125-pound match-ups.

All of NYU's other victories in the win over Muhlenberg came via decision.

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2008 NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships
Blue Cross Arena, Rochester
March 8-9, 2008

TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR 46 th ANNUAL NYSPHSAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS; 2008 EVENT SCHEDULE RELEASED
Championships head to Blue Cross Arena in Rochester on March 8-9

More Info.

Stanford 24 - Drexel 12

Full results.

Lehigh 21 - Stanford 16

Full results.

Lee kemp Clinic on January 13

Lee Kemp, 2008 Olympic Team Coach and a 3 time World Champion will be providing a clinic in the New York City Metropolitan area on January 13th at the Premier Wrestling and Complete Training Center in Saddle Brook, NJ.

More Information.

New CHSAA Individual Rankings

8 Msgr. Farrell Wrestlers ranked. Click here to see full rankings.

To All Beat the Streets Wrestlers- Make your Plan- Dream Big...it can be done!

Michigan's Eric Tannenbaum displays 'amazing commitment' as model student-athlete
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
12/19/2007

The news arrived via text message early Tuesday night.

And Michigan wrestling coach Joe McFarland couldn't have been happier when the words flashed across the screen of his cell phone.

Wolverines senior Eric Tannenbaum notified his coach that he had been accepted to Rush Medical School in Chicago.

Five years ago, McFarland sat in Tannenbaum's house on a recruiting visit and listened as the multi-talented young athlete outlined his goals.

"Eric told me he wanted to be a doctor," McFarland said. "He always had this goal beyond wrestling and never wavered from that. And now just look at his resume, wow, it's really something. Everything he does, he does it the best way he possibly can. Look at the time commitment it takes just to compete in wrestling. And then look at the time commitment it takes to compete in the classroom. What he's done is pretty amazing."

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Matt Cartusciello, Petrides High School, wins the Outstanding Wrestling Award at the prestigious Minisink Valley HS Duals Meet Championships over the week-end

Petrides High School finished 3rd in the Team Championships. Teams were entered from New Jersey, Section 2, Section 8, Section 9, Section 11. Minisink Valley HS, is coached by Kevin Gallagher former Wagner College head coach. Minisink Valley has won the last two Section 9 Team Championships and were ranked 6th in the State in 2007.

Petrides defeated last year's Section 8 Division 2 Team Champions Island Trees HS in one of the duals.

Jim Wilson Duals, @ Minisink Valley HS
MOW: Matt Cartusciello (Petrides, 145)
Pin Trophy: Brendan Byrne (MV, 285, 4 in 7:37)

Full Results.

12/17/07: New College Metropolitan Conference Rankings

NYU's Hult (141 lbs) and Coleman (184 lbs) ranked first, as well as Hunter College's DeCristo (174 lbs) and Scher (197 lbs).

Full Rankings.

By Gary Abbott
USA Wrestling/Themat.com
gabbott@usawrestling.org

There was some big news in college wrestling this week, when No. 5 Penn State defeated No. 3 Oklahoma State in Stillwater. The victory showed that the rising Nittany Lion program had regained its roar, and is competing at the highest level in Div. I wrestling.

Included in the dual meet was a victory at 149 pounds by No. 4 Bubba Jenkins, who pinned Mike Bizzle of OSU, giving Penn State six key points in the dual meet. So far this year, Jenkins has been on a mission, going 9-0 in the early season, and making himself one of the hopefuls for a NCAA individual title at this weight class.

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Hunter College GRAPPLERS SPLIT WITH YESHIVA/CENTENARY

New York, NY - Senior grappler Evan Velez (Bronx, NY/Lehman) , currently ranked seventh in the Metropolitan Conference at 125 pounds, pinned the second ranked Ricky Redd (Montclair, NJ/DePaul Catholic) of Centenary College to start things off for Hunter, but the Hawks would just come up short to the #24 nationally ranked Cyclones 22-19 on Sunday in a Sunday afternoon tri-match at the Hunter Sportsplex in New York, NY.

In the third match of the day, the Hawks defeated Yeshiva University, 47-6 to earn their first dual victory of the season. The Hawks were led by Matt Ryne (Bronx, NY/Fordham Prep) who recorded the first of four falls against the Maccabees. Senior Ben Bonaventura (Hauppauge, NY/Hauppauge) closed out the match with a tech fall on Yeshiva's Sam Weiss 1:37 into the second period.

After Velez' pin against Centenary, the Hawks would drop the next two weights classes  before junior Billy Calvecca (Levittown, NY/MacArthur) earned a 12-3 major decision at 165 pounds. Sophomore Andre DeCrist