Click below to find out more about Muhlenberg head coach Jake Calhoun and his recent liver transplant surgery. He was preparing for the Greco-Roman World Team Trials in Daytona Beach, Florida, when he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. On June 23rd, he received a liver transplant. Find more information about Coach Calhoun as well as how to donate at his page on the National Foundation for Transplants website.
The article linked below appeared on the Rockford Register Star website on August 5th and provides a few more details about the dismissal of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Head Coach Tim Fader. Also included below is a link to the Department of Education release concerning an investigation of 55 schools with suspected Title IX violations. This investigation is referenced in the Rockford Register Star article.
Click for all of the videos from Phase 2 of the World Team Trials featuring former and current DIII wrestlers. Joe Rau and Anthony Bonaventura both competed at 80kg with Rau winning the spot on the World Team.
Former University at Buffalo assistant coach Quincy Osborn has been selected as the next head coach at Lakeland College. Osborn replaces Mike DeRoehn, who left this summer to take over Wisconsin-Platteville. Osborn was an NCAA Champion for Augsburg and an NCAA qualifier for the University of Minnesota. He has coaching stops at Augsburg and Ohio University along with his previous post at Buffalo. Read on for more.
Lakeland College has named Quincy Osborn as its new head wrestling coach, Lakeland Vice President for Athletics and Wellness Nate Dehne has announced.
Osborn comes to Lakeland from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he was an assistant coach at the NCAA Division I school this past year. He replaces Mike DeRoehn, who resigned in May after four years at Lakeland to take the head coaching job at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
“We are very excited to welcome Quincy and his wife Hannah to the Lakeland College family,” said Dehne. “Quincy’s accomplishments and experience on the mat, along with his desire to mentor and guide our student athletes in all aspects of their personal and professional lives make him a great match for our program. We look forward to his continuing to build on the foundation built by our former coaches and student-athletes.”
Osborn has seven years of collegiate coaching experience at the NCAA Division I and III levels and also competed at both levels. He spent the last five years in the Division I Mid-American Conference, coaching at Ohio University for four years before going to Buffalo. This past year with the Bulls, he was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, as well as serving as an adjunct instructor for the school.
Osborn began his college coaching career at Augsburg (Minn.) College as an assistant coach and assistant camp director. He began his coaching career after completing his collegiate wrestling career at the NCAA Division III power. Wrestling at Augsburg as a senior, Osborn was the Division III champion at 141 lbs. and led the Auggies to the team national championship.
Osborn began his collegiate career at the University of Minnesota, where he was a three-year letter winner. He was a two-time NCAA Division I national championships qualifier, reaching the national championships as a sophomore at 133 lbs. and as a junior at 149 lbs.
“I would like to thank Mr. Dehne and Lakeland College for giving me the opportunity to be a head coach and lead a program,” said Osborn. “I would also like to thank my family, friends, and mentors for support and guidance, (and) I also owe thanks to Augsburg, Ohio, and Buffalo. I have learned a lot from those experiences and opportunities.
“I am extremely excited to lead the Lakeland College wrestling team. The program is in a solid position and the goal will be to take the team to the next level. I look forward to learning the community and getting to know the athletes and staff in addition to building connections with the alumni and support base.
“The expectations of the program will be simple: the team will prepare and compete in a way that promotes winning at the highest level,” said Osborn. “The program will emphasize living a championship lifestyle on and off the mat. There will be a lot of work ahead and I can’t wait to get started!”
A native of Grand Rapids, Minn., Osborn received his bachelor’s degree in history from Augsburg in 2009 and his master’s in coaching education from Ohio University in 2011. Osborn is married to wife Hannah, and they are owners of two cats and a dog.
Mark Matzek has resigned as head coach at Augsburg College. Matzek spent six years as head coach, finishing in the top ten at the NCAA Championships all six years while winning the 2010 NCAA Championship. He was a two time NCAA Champion at 133 lbs. for the Auggies, graduating in 2005.
Top assistant Jim Moulsoff will be the interim coach for the 2014-2015 season with Tony Valek moving from a graduate fellowship role to top assistant. Moulsoff has been an assistant at Augsburg for six seasons, while Valek has spent the last two as a graduate fellow in the athletic department immediately following his career with the Auggies.
7/28/2014 5:43:00 PM
MINNEAPOLIS — Mark Matzek, who led the Augsburg College wrestling program to top-10 national tournament finishes in each of his six years as head coach, has announced his resignation, college officials said on Monday.
A 2005 Augsburg alumnus, Matzek is returning to his hometown of Ellsworth, Wis., where he will become a mathematics teacher at Ellsworth Middle School, pending the Ellsworth School Board’s approval. Matzek will also serve as a coach at the high school level.
Jim Moulsoff, who has served as an assistant coach on Matzek’s staff for six seasons, will serve as interim head coach during the 2014-15 season, while a national coaching search takes place, said Augsburg Athletic Director Jeff Swenson. Moulsoff will be the 10th head coach in the history of the Augsburg wrestling program.
Jim Moulsoff
In addition, Tony Valek, a 2012 Augsburg alumnus who has served as an assistant coach in the Augsburg graduate fellowship program for the past two seasons, will move into Moulsoff’s former role as the team’s top assistant coach, also on an interim basis for the 2014-15 season.
“I wish Mark and his family the very best as he pursues a new challenge in his life. There is no stronger draw for Mark than going back home and being in the community that he was raised in,” Swenson said. “I thank Mark for six years of exceptional service to Augsburg College, the athletic program and the wrestling program. His coaching record speaks for itself.”
Under Matzek’s leadership, Augsburg continued its reputation as one of the top small-college wrestling programs in the nation. The Auggies won the NCAA Division III national title in the 2009-10 season, while finishing second in 2008-09, 2010-11 and 2011-12, fifth in 2013-14 and 10th in 2012-13.
Augsburg wrestlers earned 30 All-American honors and five individual national championships during Matzek’s tenure as head coach. Augsburg squads won NCAA regional titles in each of his six seasons, with 25 individual regional titlists. The Auggies recorded a 55-21-1 dual-meet record over the past six seasons.
Academically, Matzek’s teams finished in the top 10 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Scholar All-America Team listing each of the last three seasons, including earning the academic national title in 2011-12 with a 3.7341 team grade-point average. Auggie wrestlers earned 22 NWCA Scholar All-America honors and two Capital One Academic All-America (CoSIDA) honors in Matzek’s six seasons as head coach.
“This is the toughest decision I’ve ever had to make in my life, because I love both Augsburg and the community I came from,” said Matzek. “Having a child in February reinforced my values that I want to have more time with my family, and the best way for me to do that is to teach and coach at Ellsworth.
“It’s tough to leave because we have seven starters returning (to Augsburg) this year and with the addition of some great personnel, Augsburg is ready make a run this year. I’m confident, that with the new leadership in place with Jim and Tony, that the student-athletes in the program have nothing to be worried about. I truly believe that the relationships I’ve had with the people at Augsburg, and the values they have, are what brought me there as an undergrad and kept me there as an employee. It is a great place.”
Matzek served on the Augsburg wrestling coaching staff for nine seasons, including two as an assistant coach under Swenson and one under Sam Barber in 2007-08. As an assistant coach, Matzek was a part of Auggie squads that won the national title in 2006-07 and finished third in both 2005-06 and 2007-08. In his nine seasons on the Augsburg staff, the Auggies claimed 50 All-Americans and nine individual national championships, while going 82-27-1 in dual meets.
Matzek was one of the top lightweight wrestlers in Augsburg history. He earned 133-pound All-American honors three times and won national titles twice in his career, finishing with a 129-21 record. In 2002-03, he finished fourth nationally with a 40-7 record, then won his first national title in the 2003-04 season, finishing 35-4. He finished his career with a 42-match winning streak, which included a 34-0 mark in his senior season as he repeated as national champion — joining a select group of nine Auggie wrestlers in school history to win multiple national championships. He was a part of two national title teams and two national runner-up squads.
Academically, Matzek was a three-time NWCA Scholar All-American, a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree three times, and a CoSIDA Academic All-America first-team selection in 2005. He was named an Augsburg Honor Athlete in 2005. He was a mathematics and secondary education major at Augsburg.
Moulsoff is a well-known figure in Minnesota’s wrestling community, having served as a high school coach for 18 seasons before joining the Augsburg coaching staff in 2008. He was promoted to a full-time assistant coaching position prior to the 2010-11 season, serving as the top assistant coach on the Augsburg staff. He also is the director of the James Haglund Family Fitness and Recreation Center in the Augsburg Athletic Department.
In 2013-14, Moulsoff was named West Region Assistant Coach of the Year by his coaching peers during the NCAA West Regional at Augsburg.
“I’m very humbled and honored to have the opportunity to lead such a historic program. We’ve got a lot of good pieces in place, because of the work that Mark has done. I’d like to thank Mark for the opportunity to work with him,” Moulsoff said. “The future looks very positive. Mark did great work with the program behind the scenes, and we hope to continue that work. We are looking forward to working with the coaching staff and the entire athletic department. We have a great recruiting class coming in, and we have a great group of athletes returning to the program.”
Prior to joining the Auggie staff, Moulsoff spent 15 years as head coach of the Minnehaha Academy High School wrestling program (1993-2008). In the 2002-03 season, Moulsoff led the Redhawk program to a 12-5 dual meet record and earned the Metro Alliance Conference Coach of the Year honors. He was an assistant coach at Whapeton (N.D.) High School from 1990-93.
In addition to his experience at the high school level, Moulsoff has been active as a coach in many levels of amateur wrestling and has served as the cadet director for Minnesota/USA Wrestling.
A native of Breckenridge, Minn., Moulsoff wrestled competitively at the North Dakota State College of Science from 1981-83, and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in 2003.
Tony Valek
Valek was a three-time All-American and four-time national tournament qualifier during his Augsburg career, finishing with a 136-25 record, including 87 bonus-point victories (60 pins, six technical falls, 21 major decisions). He was a national runner-up at 149 pounds in both 2010-11 and 2009-10, while finishing third in 2011-12.
Valek was a top performer in the classroom as well, as he was named to the Capital One Academic All-America men’s at-large first team twice during his four-year career. He earned NWCA Division III Scholar All-America honors his final three seasons, and was named as the recipient of the NCAA Elite 89 Award as the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average at the 2012 NCAA Division III Wrestling National Championships.
Valek was the first Augsburg student-athlete ever to be named as a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree twice. A native of Belle Plaine, Minn., Valek graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and management from Augsburg in 2012. Valek is currently pursuing a master’s degree in leadership at Augsburg.
“As we embark on a new era for Augsburg wrestling, I am confident that we have the perfect duo in Jim Moulsoff and Tony Valek to lead us through this transition.” Swenson said. “Jim has a proven track record in coaching at all levels, and has earned the respect of all the student-athletes he has touched. This past season, Jim was named West Region Assistant Coach of the Year. We are fortunate to have Jim as our interim head coach, as he is an excellent coach, leader and person. In his short time at Augsburg as an assistant coach, Tony has shown that he is a great leader on and off the mat. As a NCAA Elite 89 award-winner and three-time All-American, he has demonstrated the ability to get the job done in all facets of his life and is a great leader by example.”
Joe Rau, the 2013 NCAA Champion at 184 lbs. for Elmhurst, won five matches yesterday to secure a spot at 80kg on the US World Team in Greco-Roman. He will compete in the World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in September. He finished off the tournament with a two match sweep in the finals, winning a pair of 1-0 decisions over 2012 Olympian Ben Provisor in the finals. Rau has wrestled at 85kg and 96kg in the past, but made a tough cut to the non-Olympic weight of 80kg (176.4 lbs) a lighter weight than he wrestled at any point in college.
Round 1 – Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) decision over Patrick Martinez (Florida Jets) (Dec 4-2) Quarterfinal – Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) decision over Jon Anderson (Army (WCAP)) (Dec 7-1) Semifinal – Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) tech fall over Zak Benitz (Peacock Mat Club) (TF 10-1)
Finals Round 1 – Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) decision over Ben Provisor (NYAC) (Dec 1-0)
Finals Round 2 – Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) decision over Ben Provisor (NYAC) (Dec 1-0)
A pair of wrestlers with DIII connections will be competing in tomorrow’s Greco-Roman Phase II trials as the non-Olympic weight of 80kg. 2013 184 lbs. NCAA Champion Joe Rau, former of Elmhurst, will be the #5 seed and qualified by winning the University National championship at 85kg. 2014 174 lbs. runner-up Anthony Bonaventura of Waynesburg is unseeded and qualified via his top three finish at the 2014 NCAA Championships. The tournament begins at 9:00am Central time on Tuesday the 22nd in the Fargodome. The matches can be viewed live via a FloPro subscription.
Bonaventura is the third Division III athlete to compete in the trials based on his finish at the 2014 NCAA Championships. Messiah’s Lucas Malmberg and Kaleb Loht both competed last month in Daytona Beach. Augsburg’s Mike Fuenffinger was the champion at the Northern Plains Regional and thus qualified via Greco-Roman competition, but he also would have qualified based on his NCAA Championship in March.
Zach Mizer, a former NCAA runner-up for Heidelberg, has been named the head coach at OAC competitor Muskingum. Mizer was a graduate assistant at Heidelberg before spending the last three seasons as the assistant at Buena Vista. He also was one of the coaches for the 2014 Division III Cultural Exchange.
Zach Mizer has been named head coach of the Muskingum University wrestling team.
Mizer arrives in New Concord after serving the past three years as assistant wrestling coach at Buena Vista University. At Buena Vista, Mizer assisted in all areas of the wrestling program including recruiting coordination, organizing and executing practice plans, arranging team travel, assisting in fundraising and reviewing match film with the student-athletes. During his tenure, Mizer coached one national qualifier, three Academic All-Americans and aided in one wrestler setting the school record for pins (18).
Following the 2013-14 wrestling campaign, Mizer served as co-coach for a group of 12 wrestlers from across the United States that took a trip overseas to practice and compete in Istanbul, Bulgaria, Bucharest and Paris.
“Zach brings a wealth of wrestling experience and knowledge to Muskingum,” said Muskingum Athletic Director Larry Shank. “I’m looking forward to Zach building a successful wrestling program.”
A 2010 graduate of Heidelberg University with a B.S. in history, Mizer was a four-year letterwinner, three-time national qualifier and two-time MVP for the Student Princes. He posted a career record of 112-42, including a pair of 30-win campaigns, and is second on the school’s all-time career list for wins. Mizer ended his senior year as national runner-up in the 157-pound weight class. He was also a key member of four consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference tournament championship teams and two OAC regular season championship squads. Mizer was the OAC Champion at 149 pounds in 2008.
Following graduation, Mizer remained with the program and served as a graduate assistant coach from 2010-12. During that time, Mizer coached 10 All-OAC wrestlers, six Academic All-Americans and four national qualifiers.
Southern Virginia University has been competing as a varsity NCWA team, but for the 2014-2015 season, the team will compete in Division III. SVU will become the third Division III school in Virginia to compete in wrestling along with Ferrum and Washington & Lee. Southern Virginia is just seven miles from Washington & Lee and is situated in Buena Vista, Virginia. Read for more.
BUENA VISTA, Va.—With a proud tradition and successful history, the Southern Virginia University wrestling program will remove its club status and become an NCAA Division III varsity program beginning the 2014-15 season.
Southern Virginia becomes just the third school in the state of Virginia to offer NCAA Division III wrestling, joining Ferrum College and Washington & Lee University.
“We’re excited to add wrestling as an official sport at Southern Virginia and continue the proud history of the program,” said Director of Athletics Jason Lamb. “Our wrestling program is the only one offered in a Latter-day Saint environment, so to become an official sport will attract additional wrestlers who want live by the code of honor and compete at an NCAA level. Coach Davis is doing a great job with the team and we’re excited to see them compete at a higher standard of competition.”
This past season, the wrestling club sent six individuals to the National Collegiate Wrestling Association championships while five were named USCAA All-Academic recipients. Junior Coulter Sims was additionally recognized as an NWCA All-Academic recipient.
“We are very excited to compete at a higher level and see how we match up on a national stage,” said head wrestling coach Logan Davis. “This is the next step in our evolution and we are prepared to meet the new challenges that will be presented. A varsity wrestling program pairs very well with the overall mission of the school. Wrestling is about more than brute strength – it’s about developing the complete self. I believe we can quickly rise to national recognition.
“There is a lot of untapped wrestling talent out there and I believe recruits will see the commitment of the university to its wrestling program and desire to join our team.”
The wrestling program at Southern Virginia has compiled 17 NCWA All-Americans since the 1999-2000 season, including two national champions in Nate Casperson (2000) and three-time champ Peter Rose (2008-10). A multitude of others have been recognized as a USCAA Wrestler of the Week or Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) first-team honoree.
Roster spots are still available for the 2014-15 season and prospective scholar-athletes are encouraged to contact the Admissions Office at 540-261-8401.
Adrian College will Viagra: The Widely Accepted ED Treatment become the third Division III school with wrestling, joining Olivet and Alma, when they begin competition in the 2015-2016 season. The Bulldogs are adding both men’s and women’s teams to their athletic offerings. the women’s team will be just the second Division III program along with Pacific, though there are other schools that compete in the Women’s College Wrestling Association.
Adrian and Alma both eliminated their programs in 1984, and now both have returned to competition. Read below for more.
ADRIAN, Mich. (July 9) – As Adrian College continues to see record enrollments, it also is adding more muscle to its athletic offerings. Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, for the first time since 1984, the college will offer wrestling– this time for both men and women.
Adrian last offered wrestling for men from 1959-1984. The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) sponsored the sport from 1969-84. During those fifteen years Adrian College earned three MIAA Championships under head coach Paul MacDonald. The program, in its new era, will be run as a NCAA Division III athletic offering. The search for a head coach and recruitment of student-athletes will begin immediately.
“Adrian College has a strong tradition in collegiate wrestling and now is the right time to reintroduce the sport on campus,” said athletic director, Michael Duffy. “There are far reaching advantages in adding wrestling and the sport is making a big comeback at the NCAA Division III level. The local Lenawee County area has strong roots in high school wrestling and would provide student-athletes an avenue to stay close to home to continue their careers.”
When commenting on the new women’s wrestling program Duffy was equally enthusiastic. “Women’s wrestling is rapidly growing across the nation on the youth and high school levels, and there are still limited opportunities for competing at the college level. We believe this addition provides these student-athletes with the chance to continue their athletic pursuits while leveraging a well-rounded, liberal arts education.”
Three regional institutions also boast wrestling teams: Olivet College, Alma College and Trine University. In total, 90 NCAA Division III institutions sponsor wrestling as of the 2013-14 school year. Earlier this year, Wartburg College (Iowa) captured its fourth-straight team NCAA Division III national championship in front of a record attendance of 8,787 spectators for the Saturday night finals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Zach Mizer has been named head coach of the Muskingum University wrestling team.
BUENA VISTA, Va.—With a proud tradition and successful history, the Southern Virginia University wrestling program will remove its club status and become an NCAA Division III varsity program beginning the 2014-15 season.
ADRIAN, Mich. (July 9) – As Adrian College continues to see record enrollments, it also is adding more muscle to its athletic offerings. Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, for the first time since 1984, the college will offer wrestling– this time for both men and women.
NEW LONDON, Conn.– Coast Guard Academy has named Kevin Bratland head wrestling coach and professor of health and physical education.
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.
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.
