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UW-Whitewater Head Coach Opening

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Position Announcement
Head Wrestling Coach/Lecturer Full Time – Benefits Position
Salary – Competitive
Employer: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Member of NCAA Division III Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC).

Position: Head Wrestling Coach/Lecturer
Job Description: The head coach responsibilities range from planning, recruiting, coaching, developing, implementing, communication and administering of his/her program to achieve University and Department objectives to teaching duties within the Department of HPRC. Goals and objectives are to be developed prior to the beginning of each season with the Director of Athletics. Exhibit behavior that enhances the respect for the student-athletes, the athletics program, the University, and yourself in the conduct of your professional responsibilities. You are required to direct and control your program in accordance with NCAA, WIAC, and University rules and regulations.

Qualifications: Masters Degree required. Collegiate coaching experience required. Candidates must have the ability to manage multiple tasks. Excellent written and oral skills, knowledge of computer applications and software packages, organizational abilities, and event management. Must be able to work weekends/evenings and travel.

Application: A complete electronic application package must include:

  • A letter of application
  • Resume/Vita including all relevant professional experience
  • All undergraduate and graduate transcripts (photocopies are acceptable for initial application)
  • At least three references

Only complete electronic applications will be considered. Unless confidentiality is requested in writing, lists of applicants must be released upon request. Finalists cannot be guaranteed confidentiality. Submit electronically to: Kay Bradley, athletics program assistant bradlekf@uww.edu

Review: Applications received by July 27th are ensured consideration; the position is considered open until otherwise noted.

University: Founded in 1868, UW-Whitewater is a premier public regional university with an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students in 50 undergraduate majors, 13 master’s degree programs, and one specialist degree program. It offers high-quality, career oriented programs with a model general education curriculum. UW-Whitewater is part of the 26-campus University of Wisconsin System. Community: Whitewater, a city with a population of over 14,000, is located in southeastern Wisconsin near the scenic Kettle Moraine State Forest. The immediate area offers a wide variety of summer and winter recreational activities, including facilities of the nearby Whitewater Lake recreational area. Whitewater is 50 miles from Milwaukee, 45 miles from Madison and 110 miles from Chicago.

Mount St. Vincent Assistant Position

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Mount St. Vincent logo

The College of Mount Saint Vincent Wrestling Program is currently seeking candidates for the position of Head Assistant. Please contact Head Coach Michael Shannon at michael.shannon@mountsaintvincent.edu or 1.518.461.1456 for more information.

Favia stays on at Stevens as Head Coach

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Joe Favia has been named the head wrestling coach at Stevens Institute of technology. The Stevens graduate came on staff as an assistant coach in early 2014 upon the departure of head coach Mike Clayton for a position with USA Wrestling. Jeff Jacobs, who has been the interim head coach since Clayton’s departure, appears to be staying on as the top assistant. Favia was a two time All-American for the Ducks, graduating in 2013 after a pair of 5th place finishes at 165 lbs. Read on for more.

Joe Favia Announced as Head Coach of Stevens’ Wrestling Program

HOBOKEN, N.J. (June 24, 2014) – Former wrestling standout, Joe Favia ’13 (Brick, N.J.), has been selected as the new head coach – eighth all-time – for the Stevens Institute of Technology wrestling program. Favia was a four-year letter winner and a three-year captain for Stevens from 2009-13.

“I am honored to have been selected as the head coach of my alma mater,” stated Favia. “I have a great deal of pride in this Institution and believe in its ability to succeed. I would like to thank Russ Rogers and the Stevens community for their continued support, and faith in my ability to lead this program into the future. I am eager to being a new era of Stevens wrestling, as we prepare to elevate the program to new levels of success.”

As a grappler for the Ducks, Favia twice finished fifth nationally at 165-lbs. at the NCAA Division III Championships in 2012 and 2013 to earn All-America status. In 2012, he claimed the Centennial Conference title and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament, and in 2013, the Brick, N.J. native took top honors at the NCAA Eastern Regional. For his outstanding senior season, Favia was named Stevens’ Best Male Athlete.

Favia’s name is dispersed throughout the wrestling record book on the single-season and career lists. He appears four times within the top 18 in single-season wins, including second all-time with 34 victories in 2012, while his .914 winning percentage (32-3) in 2013 sits atop that category. Favia is second all-time in career major decision wins with 21, third in career triumphs with 119 and fourth in winning percentage.

As a coach, Favia was most recently an assistant at Stevens, beginning early-2014. Overlapping that time, Favia has been the Rutgers University club assistant coach since 2013 and also helped out at the University of Iowa from 2010-12 at training camps.

“I could not be happier that Joe has decided to join our staff,” Director of Athletics Russell Rogers (Branchburg, N.J.) said. His passion for the sport of wrestling along with his knowledge and ability to relate with our student-athletes is very special. I look forward to working with Joe, Coach Jeff Jacobs and Coach Jeff Marsh in helping our team reach its fullest potential on and off the mat.”

Two new rules for 2014-2015

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The NCAA has approved two new rules that will be used throughout the 2014-2015 season. Two others will only be used at the NWCA All-Star Classic on November 1st. Both new rules are designed to limit stalling. If a wrestler in the top position either drops to a leg or applies a side headlock without working to improve, the official will begin an audible count. If nothing changes in five seconds, stalling will be called. Read below for more.

Experimental Rules Designed To Limit Stalling Tactics Approved
Two Of The Rules Will Be Applied For The 2014-15 Season, While Two Others Will Be Used At Only One Wrestling Event.

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Wednesday approved four experimental rules in wrestling, including two that will be exclusively used at the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic Nov. 1 at the University of Pennsylvania.

The first experimental rule that will be implemented for the 2014-15 season focuses on a wrestler who is in an offensive position and locks or holds an opponent’s leg or legs and does not breakdown the opponent, execute an offensive move or work back up to the upper body for five seconds. That offensive wrestler will be called for stalling.

The referee’s count on the call will be both verbal and visual.

The other experimental rule regarding stalling will take place when an offensive wrestler applies a side headlock to the defensive wrestler and does not breakdown the opponent and/or execute an offensive move in five seconds. In that instance, the offensive wrestler will be called for stalling. Again, the referee’s count will be both verbal and visual.

Both of the approved experimental rules are designed to promote offensive wrestling by limiting stalling tactics or a way to position oneself in a stalemate situation.

National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic

The panel also approved two experimental rules that will be implemented only at the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic on Nov. 1.

The first rule focuses on wrestlers who are in a neutral standing position and not actively engaged in an offensive attack, or a defensive counter to an offensive attack, while their feet are out of bounds. In that situation, the referee will call stalling.

This rule is designed to keep the wrestling action in the center of the mat and away from the out-of-bounds line.

The rule is not intended to be a “push out” rule. A wrestler not engaged in an offensive attack or a defensive counter to an offensive attack who is only attempting to push or pull the opponent out of bounds will be called for stalling.

The second experimental rule to be used at the NWCA All-Star Classic focuses on wrestlers who gain the offensive position by being awarded a takedown or reversal. In those cases those competitors may, after a wrestling stoppage, choose to resume wrestling in a neutral position without an escape point being awarded to his/her opponent.

Currently, a wrestler choosing a neutral position would give up a point to an opponent.

Coaching Changes Summary So Far

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As of today, June 21st, there will be 11 teams with new head coaches for the 2014-2015 season. Some of these are new programs who will compete for the first time next season. See the list below for more.

Teams beginning competition in 2014-2015

School Head Coach
Daniel Webster College John Archambeau
Huntingdon Tom Storey
University of the Ozarks Jason Zastrow

Huntingdon announced Tom Storey as their new coach in September and have been preparing to start competing in 2014. Ozarks and Daniel Webster announced their head coaches last month but still intend to compete in 2014.

Existing teams with announced coaching changes

School New Coach Previous Coach
Buena Vista Jeff Breese Sevond Cole
Coast Guard Kevin Bratland Rob McKnabb
St. John’s Tony Willaert Brandon Novak
UW-Platteville Mike DeRoehn Chris Walter

Breese was the Director of Operations at NC State. Bratland was the head coach at North Central. Willaert was the assistant at St. John’s. DeRoehn was the head coach at Lakeland.

Existing teams with unfilled positions

School Previous Coach
Lakeland Mike DeRoehn
Muskingum Joe Montgomery
North Central Kevin Bratland
Stevens Intitute of Technology Mike Clayton

Lakeland and North Central were very recent openings. Stevens and Muskingum have been unfilled for awhile now. Jeff Jacobs has been the interim coach at Stevens since February.

Bratland moves to Coast Guard

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Kevin Bratland has been announced as the new head coach at the US Coast Guard Academy. Bratland spent the past eight seasons at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. He also has had assistant coaching stops at Ohio Northern and Wartburg. Read below for more.

Bratland Named Head Wrestling Coach

NEW LONDON, Conn.– Coast Guard Academy has named Kevin Bratland head wrestling coach and professor of health and physical education.

Bratland was the head coach at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois for the past eight seasons. He led the Cardinals to a 73-47-1 dual-meet record and three College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Championships while also being named conference Coach of the Year three times. His teams finished in top 10 at the NCAA Division III Championships three times.

“Being able to hire a coach of the caliber of Kevin Bratland is a tremendous step forward for our wrestling program here at Coast Guard,” said Tim Fitzpatrick, Coast Guard’s Director of Athletics. “Kevin brings a wide array of skills to the table that we need and want in a wrestling coach – he’s a great on-the-mat instructor and teacher, a relentless recruiter, values the cadet-athlete experience and embraces the core values of the academy. He was a nationally prominent Division III wrestler as a student-athlete, and has run a program at North Central that has been continually successful on the mat and in the classroom. It is my distinct and sincere pleasure to welcome Kevin, his wife Lindsi and sons Brody and Tucker to the Coast Guard Bears family.”

In his first season in 2006-’07, Bratland led the Cardinals to a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championships, the highest finish in school history. Four wrestlers qualified for nationals and two were All-Americans.

North Central sent three wrestlers to the 2008 Division III Championships, each of whom earned All-American honors in helping the Cardinals to a ninth-place finish.

In 2009, North Central had two individuals qualify for national-championship competition with both earning All-America honors. The Cardinals also set a school record with 15 dual-meet victories in the 2008-2009 campaign and achieved a national ranking as high as fourth by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

Four of his wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Championships and two earned All-America honors in the 2009-2010 season as the team posted a 12-5-1 dual-meet record.

During the 2010-2011 season, three individuals qualified for the national championships with one earning All-America honors.

In 2012, two athletes earned All-America honors while 2013 saw one wrestler earn All-America status. Last year Bratland had two wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Championships.

“I would like to thank Tim Fitzpatrick, Dan Rose and the entire Coast Guard Academy for granting me this opportunity. This is very bitter sweet for myself and my wife Lindsi,” said Bratland. ” We are leaving a great place and a great community in North Central College, but are very excited and honored to start this next chapter in our lives at the United States Coast Guard Academy.”

Bratland served as the assistant wrestling coach at Ohio Northern University for two seasons before coming to North Central. He was the assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach at Division III wrestling powerhouse Wartburg College (Iowa) from 2003-05. Bratland helped coach Wartburg to its second straight national title in 2004. He has also served as an assistant coach at Humboldt High School in Humboldt, Iowa, in 1999-2000.

Bratland graduated from Wartburg in 2003 with a degree in fitness management. He received his master’s degree in exercise science in 2004 from University of Northern Iowa. Bratland is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist and attained his coaching certification from Iowa Central Community College.

As a collegian, Bratland was a two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III All-Academic Individual and two-time NCAA III All-American. In 2002, he finished third in the nation at 157 pounds and improved his placement to second as a senior in 2003. Bratland served as Wartburg’s co-captain as a junior and senior and was the team’s most valuable wrestler those same two years. He was a member of Wartburg’s 2003 national championship team.

Bratland began his wrestling career at Iowa State University in 1997 and was part of the top-ranked recruiting class in the nation along with four-time undefeated national champion and Olympic gold medalist Cael Sanderson and four-time All-American and national champion Joe Heskett. The Cyclones finished fourth at the NCAA Division I Championships that season, with four wrestlers earning All-America honors.

“The Coast Guard Academy is a very unique opportunity and one I am very passionate about. I have been very fortunate to be part of a great program at North Central College,” said Bratland. ” I look to use this experience to build upon the tradition that Coach Eldridge has started. I am a product of being around great coaches and great people, and the Coast Guard is another opportunity to surround myself with great leaders.”
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT BRATLAND

Joe Heskett
Four-time All-American and also a national championat Iowa State, current Head Coach at Army and teammate of Bratland at Iowa State
“Mr. Fitzpatrick and the Search Committee have truly discovered a diamond-in-the-rough. Kevin Bratland exudes what Coast Guard wants in a coach and a leader. He is a man of great integrity, and he will accomplish great things with Coast Guard wrestling. I’m excited for him and for his family, and for the entire Coast Guard athletic program.”

Jim Miller
Head Coach at Wartburg from 1991-2013, who won nine Division III National Championships
“He is a dang good coach and is very passionate and brings a lot of positive energy. He will thrive in the Academy culture. Kevin is very organized and will be very diligent in recruiting. In all aspects of the job, Coast Guard really got a good coach and made an excellent, excellent choice.

DIII at Greco World Team Trials

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USA Wrestling Preview | Event Home Page

Follow along live tomorrow HERE

Video will be available on FloPro

Schedule for June 13 (All Times Eastern)
SESSION I – Prelim, Quarters, Semis, Consolation Rd # 1 – 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
SESSION II–Consolation Rd # 2, Consolation Semis, 3rd Place – 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM
SESSION III – Final World Team Trials and True 2nd Place Matches – 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM

Location:
Ocean Center – Exhibit Hall
101 North Atlantic Avenue
Daytona Beach, FL

Division III Wrestlers Competing (leave missed names in the comments)
59kg
Mike Fuenffinger (Augsburg), 2014 NCAA Champion at 125
Lucas Malmberg (Messiah), 2o14 NCAA 2nd at 125
Alec Noa (former Lakeland wrestler), currently at USOEC

66kg
Jake Calhoun (former Stevens Point wrestler), current head coach at Muhlenberg
Kaleb Loht (Messiah), 2014 NCAA Champion at 141

85kg
Joe Rau (former Elmhurst wrestler), 2013 NCAA Champion at 184, University Nationals champ

130kg
Niko Bogojevic (former Augsburg wrestler), 4th at US Nationals

DeRoehn Takes Over Platteville

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Mike DeRoehn has left Lakeland College and has been named head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. DeRoehn takes over the Pioneers from Chris Walter who left after 17 years. DeRoehn will now have been the head coach at three different Wisconsin DIII colleges, adding Platteville to Lakeland and UW-Oshkosh.

Of the schools with vacancies this offseason, Coast Guard, Muskingum, Stevens, and now Lakeland have yet to name their new head coaches. Coast Guard and Stevens both had interim coaches in place at the end of the season, but neither school has given an update since then.

DeRoehn named head wrestling coach

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Platteville athletic director Mark Molesworth announced Mike DeRoehn as the Pioneers head wrestling and assistant strength and conditioning coach on Tuesday.

“Mike will be a great fit for UW-Platteville, because he brings a good wrestling background and a passion for strength and conditioning,” said Molesworth. “He is a proven head coach, and knows what it takes to be successful in the WIAC and at the national level.”

DeRoehn has spent the last four seasons at Lakeland College, and led the Muskies to two Northern Wrestling Association team championships. During that span he also guided 10 individual conference champions and two national qualifiers. DeRoehn’s student-athletes were just as successful in the classroom as they were on the mat with two Academic All-American honors. He has put the Musky wrestling program in position to continue in the future, as he helped develop a stand-alone on-campus wrestling facility, which was completed in 2013.

Prior to Lakeland, DeRoehn was the head coach at WIAC-foe UW-Oshkosh for six years. The Titans finished as high as fourth in the WIAC in 2009, tying for the program’s best finish since placing third in 1997.

In addition to coaching collegiately, DeRoehn has been heavily involved in coaching at the youth and grass roots level. He served as the state coach of the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation, an organization that works to improve Wisconsin wrestling for all ages from 2006 to 2010.

DeRoehn also owns and is head wrestling coach of World Class Wrestling School, whose mission is to “assist young men and women in developing their wrestling skills, building character and developing positive habits on and off the mat.” He has received awards for his work with youth, named USA Wrestling Greco-Roman Junior National Coach of the Year in 2010 and USA Wrestling Kids/Cadet Person of the Year in 2011.

DeRoehn wrestled collegiately at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, N.H., where he earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 2005. He later received a master’s in educational leadership from UW-Oshkosh in 2009.

Breese to lead Buena Vista

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Jeff Breese, the former Director of Wrestling Operations at his alma mater NC State, has been named the next head coach at Buena Vista. Breese has also had stops at Northern Illinois, Seton Hill, and Penn State-New Kensington. The Claysville, Pennsylvania, native was a three year starter for the Wolfpack, graduating in 2006. His father, also named Jeff, is an assistant coach at Washington & Jefferson. Read below for more.

Breese Hired as Head Wrestling Coach

Buena Vista University Director of Athletics, Christyn Abaray, has announced the hiring of Jeff Breese as its new head wrestling coach. Breese takes over for Sevond Cole, who had held the position for the last six years.

“I am excited to have Coach Jeff Breese joining our department as the new head wrestling coach,” says Abaray. “Jeff brings with him his experience competing at the Division I level and coaching at both Divisions I and III levels, from upstarting a program to training All-Americans. Knowing we are here to develop future leaders, Jeff has shown that he sees the holistic development of the student-athletes as the main priority. I am thrilled to have him on board and look forward to the growth of our wrestling program.”

Breese comes to BVU after serving as the director of operations at his alma mater of North Carolina State University since 2012. During his time there, he has managed the team’s budget and coordinated its travel schedule, co-directed social media and video promotions, developed a satellite camp system and a match film system, and directed match day events and activities, among other duties.

In addition, he also spent time working with the Wolfpack Wrestling Club directing its fundraising and alumni relations activities. He also worked hand-in-hand with the Wolfpack Regional Training Center and organized and co-directed a system that trained over 300 wrestlers annually.

“I am thrilled and very blessed to have the opportunity to guide a program with such a great history in one of the most competitive conferences in all of wrestling,” says Breese. “It is very exciting to present my vision for the program and work with our student-athletes to help them reach their goals. The most gratifying aspect to becoming a head coach is being able to honor the countless people that have mentored me and shaped my approach to coaching.”

He began his career in the coaching field in 2006 at Seton Hall University where he spent two years assisting in starting up the university’s wrestling program. He then became the first head coach at Penn State New Kensington in 2009 before moving to Division I Northern Illinois University as an assistant coach in 2010.

Throughout his coaching career, he has coached 21 NCAA Qualifiers, including one national champion, and three All-Americans. He’s also had a hand in four top-30 national recruiting classes, including one ranked in the top-5.

“Buena Vista Wrestling has strong wrestling tradition that should be celebrated,” adds Breese. “I want our current student-athletes to continue to build upon that tradition and make their own legacy.”

A 2006 graduate of North Carolina State University, Breese was a three-year starter for the Wolfpack and a member of their 2004 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship team.

A native of Claysville, Pa., he was a two-time Pennsylvania High School state champion – freshman (1999) and junior (2001) – going a perfect 41-0 during his freshman campaign. He finished his prep career at 105-9.

Breese is scheduled to begin duties at BVU on August 1st.

2014 Academic All-Americans

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Six wrestlers have been named to the CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-America At-Large Teams for 2014. Josh Etzel of Washington & Jefferson, Cody Lovejoy of Ohio Northern, and Matt McCrary of Wheaton were all named to the First Team. Etzel is making his second appearance on the first team, while Lovejoy and McCrary were second team members last year. Also recognized were second team member Eric Twohey of La Crosse and third team members Jeffrey Holm of Olivet and Kaleb Loht of Messiah.

Loht was the 141 lbs. NCAA Champion this season. Lovejoy was 7th at 285 and won the Elite 89 award for highest GPA among national qualifiers for the second year in a row. Twohey was 8th at 184 lbs., while Etzel and Holm qualified at 157 and 184 respectively. Etzel was the 6th place finisher at 157 in 2013. McCrary placed 6th at the Midwest Regional at 174 lbs.

Capital One Academic All-America Division III At-Large Teams

2014 Cultural Exchange Update #4

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Today’s update comes from 2014 NCAA 174 lbs. runner-up Anthony Bonaventura of Waynesburg

So far the trip has been everything I expected and more. It’s been a great experience and what makes it even better is I get to experience everything with a great a group of guys, that are doing there very best to represent D3 wrestling. Coach Hansen and Coach Mizer are great coaches, I would not be surprised if I see their respective programs make positive strides over the next year. Istanbul was awesome and made our way over to Bulgaria late last night. This morning we were able to watch some of Bulgaria’s best wrestlers compete at one of there national championship events. We were even able to get a quick workout session on the mats as these wrestlers were warming up for this event! I was able to drill/spar with two Bulgarian wrestlers that made the tournament finals at 86 & 97 kg. It’s great wrestling with these international guys and being able to feel the different styles of wrestling. I have been learning a lot and look forward to training/competing in Bulgaria the next 3 days and continue to improve. Overall this is a great trip and an awesome opportunity for any wrestler. I would recommend it to any wrestler who is trying to get to that elite level and be standing on top of the podium in March!

Some Tweets from the Cultural Exchange

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2014 Cultural Exchange Update #3

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I’m a little behind on getting this posted. This update is from May 30, and the one from this morning was May 29.

Update #3 comes from Buena Vista Assistant Coach Zach Mizer

Today was our third day in Istanbul and our first day of competition. Instead of sight seeing, the guys got a few more hours to lounge around today and rest up. Actually ate Turkish pizza today (toppings included corn) which tasted pretty good. Most guys ended up getting three matches today against the Turkish team. Overall the team wrestled very well considering a bunch have very limited freestyle action prior to this trip. The guys really seemed to enjoy competing and it was good to see the guys rooting on their fellow teammates during the matches. After the matches everyone stuck around and traded gear and singlets with the Turkish team which was neat to see people converse without actually speaking the same language. All sight seeing day tomorrow and then tomorrow night we will head to Bulgaria!

UWL’s Carlson Makes Jr. World Team

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Richard Carlson of UW-La Crosse won the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Greco-Roman wrestling at 84kg this past weekend in Madison, Wisconsin. Carlson waited for the winner of the mini-tournament due to his championship at the FILA Junior National tournament in Las Vegas in April. Carlson dispatched Nick Corba of the Cleveland State and the NEORTC two matches to none, winning by fall in 1:36 and 1:42.

Carlson was a 4th place finisher at the Midwest Regional this past season at 174 lbs., compiling a 15-9 record as a sophomore for La Crosse. Click below to see videos of Carlson via the USA Wrestling YouTube page.

Carlson interview after the finals this weekend

Collection of Carlson matches on YouTube

2014 Cultural Exchange Update #2

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2014CulturalExchangeTurkey

From 2014 NCAA 165 lbs. All-American Dylan Foley of Springfield College:

So here we are in Turkey, Day 2.

We started our day off exploring some of Istanbul’s most famous markets. The markets contained everything that you could imagine from foods and spices to clothing to jewelry so on and so forth. The communication barrier is a bit difficult to get around when working out prices, but we were able to barter and trade and work out deals. Everyone seemed to recognize us as American and came right up trying to sell all sorts of products.

After leaving the markets we sat down to a meal of shaved beef and bread in a red sauce, which was delicious. Most of the good here has been pretty good.

Today was also our first day of training and we jumped right in. We paired off Americans with Turkish and drilled shots and turns for a while followed demonstrations from 2008 the Olympic Gold Medalist from Turkey. We finished with live goes and matches. The practice was two hours long, but flowed well. The Turks were quick and flowed well, constantly looking for big moves, but we all held our own and competed tough! We compete for real tomorrow. Currently resting up before seeing the sights around our hotel!

 

2014 Cultural Exchange: First Update

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2014CulturalExchange

Update from Coach Hansen:

Our group of 12 has finally arrived in Istanbul! Many of us have been together since yesterday afternoon where we met at the Edge in Hoboken, NJ. Huge thanks to Jeff Marsh and his staff for accommodating us. The group (which includes 6 All-Americans) have been patient through the travel process. We are excited to go eat in about an hour and tour the city.

The hotel here is very nice. The spa includes a sauna, steam and Turkish Hamam room which is one of the first things we took advantage of. Apparently there’s a tradition that we can’t leave the country without taking a Turkish Bath. So look forward to updates about that. Some of us have been trying to pick up the language and phrases. ‘Thank you’ is very difficult. No competition until after tomorrow. But someone will send an update soon.

The trip includes:
Coaches Nate Hansen (Simpson) and Zach Mizer (Buena Vista)
Jared Bronaugh, Buena Vista
Brett Roberts, Simpson College
Anthony Bonaventura, Waynesburg
Dylan Foley, Springfield
Zach Joseph, Springfield
Dan Schiferl, UW Oshkosh
Jon Deupree, Southern Maine
Elroy Perkin, UW Whitewater
Brenden Lenhardt, JWU
Nick Bellanza, Cortland

Jason Zastrow hired to lead University of the Ozarks

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Former Wartburg wrestler and assistant coach Jason Zastrow has been announced as the first head wrestling coach at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas. Zastrow graduated from Wartburg in 2007 and has coached at Central College along with his alma mater. Read below for more.

U of O Hires Wrestling Coach With NCAA Championship Experience To Start Its Program

Clarksville, Ark.-The University of the Ozarks has hired former Wartburg College assistant coach Jason Zastrow to begin its men’s wrestling program for the 2014-2015 season, it was announced Thursday by Athletics Director Jimmy Clark.

Zastrow, a native of Coon Rapids, Minn., brings NCAA Division III championship experience from wrestling powerhouse Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Ozarks, which announced its new men’s wrestling program in early May, lands an assistant coach from the most dominant NCAA Division III men’s wrestling program in the country. Zastrow served as the assistant from 2010-2013 where he helped the program to three consecutive NCAA Division III titles. The Knights also won three National Wrestling Coaches Association dual titles at the national level and three Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles. The Knights posted a 56-1 record during his time there.

“His national championship experience will be extremely valuable to our program,” said Clark. “He has been a part of the most successful NCAA Division III men’s wrestling program in the country. We feel fortunate to have a coach of his caliber with national title experience. He understands the value of NCAA Division III, and the role it plays within the collegiate experience.”

During his tenure at Wartburg, the program produced seven individual NCAA Division III titles, 22 All-Americans and 17 Academic All-Americans. Wartburg won its fourth-straight NCAA Division III Championship in March to bring its total to 11 National Championships.

“It is an exciting time not only for me, but also for the university,” said Zastrow. “We will all watch the program grow together. Wrestling is gaining popularity in the state, and it is a perfect opportunity for the campus to grow with it.”

Zastrow wrestled at Wartburg four seasons and qualified for nationals his senior year. He is especially thankful for the opportunity to work at an NCAA Division III institution like Ozarks.

“I want my wrestlers to have the same good experiences I had as an NCAA Division III student-athlete,” said Zastrow. “There is an equal balance between being a student and being an athlete at this level. Students have the chance to receive one-on-one attention academically and athletically. But they need to be students first. I not only want guys that wrestle well, but I want them to be good students and respected citizens. I want student-athletes that we are pride of after graduation.”

Prior to Wartburg, he was the assistant coach at NCAA Division III Central College from 2007-2010, where he helped turn the program around. His first season as an assistant, the Dutch went 0-12, but by his third year, the program posted a ten-win season. After Central College, he went to Springdale Har-Ber High School, where he served as the assistant coach this year. In his one season there, the Wildcats won a conference title and finished third in the state championships.

“He was part of a successful rebuilding process at Central College,” said Clark. “I have full confidence he will start us off right. He has a passion for wrestling and understands the NCAA Division III philosophy. Wrestling will bring a new dynamic to our campus and I am glad Jason will be a part of that.”

Zastrow’s chance to start a new program was one of the many elements that made the Ozarks’ job attractive.

“Not many coaches have the chance to start a new program,” he said. “It is exciting for me to be a part of it. Our incoming class has the opportunity to be the first group to make an impact on the program. We want to build one block at a time, and then eventually produce All-Americans. I want our kids to have a championship lifestyle. I want to see growth in the program each day. If we can be better tomorrow than we were today, then I think the program is heading in the right direction.”

The university is in the process of renovating an on-campus aquatics area into a wrestling facility. Clark said Greg Hatcher, of Little Rock, has been instrumental in helping Ozarks establish a new wrestling program.

“We are thankful for everything Greg has done in order for us to begin our men’s wrestling program,” said Clark. “His impact has been tremendous.”

Zastrow received his bachelor’s degree in history from Wartburg College in 2007. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in athletic administration from Coker College. He and his wife, Jenny, were married in 2011.

Washington & Lee Assistant Opening

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Wash Lee WLU logo

Washington & Lee University is searching for a full time Assistant Wrestling Coach. Washington & Lee is in Lexington, Virginia, and is a member of the Centennial Conference and East Region. Click below for more.

Assistant Wrestling Coach

Wrestlers named to CoSIDA Academic All-District Teams

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2013-14 Cap One Acad All-District At-Large Teams graphic

The Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large teams have been announced. The At-Large teams include athletes from Women’s Bowling, Women’s Crew, Men’s and Women’s Fencing, Women’s Field Hockey, Men’s and Women’s Golf, Men’s and Women’s Gymnastics, Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey, Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse, Men’s and Women’s Rifle, Men’s and Women’s Skiing, Men’s and Women’s Swimming, Men’s and Women’s Tennis, Men’s Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Water Polo, and Men’s Wrestling.

Athletes must be a starter or key reserve, have achieved sophomore status, and must have a GPA of at least 3.30. The first, second, and third team Academic All-Americans will be selected from this list. Here are the Division III wrestlers who have been selected this year.

Josh Etzel, Washington & Jefferson, 3.78, Biochemistry – 2014 NCAA Qualifier
Kaleb Loht, Messiah, 3.40, Health and Physical Education – 2014 NCAA Champion
Jeffrey Holm, Olivet, 3.89, Biology – 2014 NCAA Qualifier
Eric Twohey, UW-La Crosse, 3.97, Exercise Sport Science – 2014 NCAA 8th
Cody Lovejoy, Ohio Northern, 3.99, Pharmacy – 2014 NCAA 7th
Matt McCrary, Wheaton, 4.0, Business/Economics – 2014 Midwest Region 6th
Caleb Malychewski, Pacific, 3.67, Exercise Science – 2014 NCAA 5th

Click for the full list.

Capital One Academic All-District ® Men’s At-Large Teams Released

Two DIII Champs at Northern Plains

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A pair of NCAA Champions won titles at the Northern Plains Regional this past weekend in Greco-Roman wrestling, qualifying them for the World Team Trials. Mike Fuenffinger of Augsburg had already qualified via his 2014 NCAA Championship at 125 lbs., but he also took the gold in the 59kg weight class. Fuenffinger finished 3-1 in the four man round robin and won based on a tiebreaker. He was previously a two-time Junior World Team member.

Joe Rau, a 2013 NCAA Champion for Elmhurst at 184 lbs., won the championship at 85kg in a seven man bracket that also featured 2013 184 lbs. All-American Dan Olsen of Wheaton and 2013 NCAA qualifier Johs Kohler of Augsburg who finished 2nd. Rau had previously placed 2nd in both the Minnesota Storm Holiday Cup and 2013 NYAC Holiday International and finished 4th in the 2013 U.S. Nationals.

In freestyle, two-time DIII champ Clayton Rush finished 2nd at 57kg while Kohler finished 4th at 86kg.

The previous weekend, former Stevens Point wrestler and current Muhlenberg head coach Jake Calhoun won the Northeast Regional in Greco-Roman at 66kg to qualify at that weight.

Only the weight class champions at each regional qualify for the World Team Trials. Freestyle takes place May 31-Jun 2 in Madison, Wisconsin, while Greco takes place June 13 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Northern Plains Greco Coverage

Northern Plains Freestyle Coverage

Northeast Greco Coverage

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