April 30th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling Tournament College Wrestling Rankings Videos News Results
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Ken owns a system of wrestling camps that travel around the nation.
AWN recently interviewed Ken Chertow. Ken, a Penn State graduate, was a 3X All-American, 3x Academic All-American, and member of the U.S. Olympic Team. He is also our AWN Training Tips Columnist. The following is a blow-by-blow Q & A.
AWN: Where do you currently live and coach?
Ken: I live in State College, Pennsylvania where I train Pennsylvania wrestlers throughout the year. My Gold Medal Training Camp is based in State College, but I also conduct camps throughout the nation.
AWN: Where do you conduct your camps?
Ken: I conduct my summer and winter camps in nice hotels in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. In Pennsylvania we use the State College Ramada Inn, and we have added a new Pennsylvania site for August 2002, the Allentown Days Inn Convention Center. I also run 3-day weekend Camp of Champs throughout the year in State College and in 11 different states.
AWN: Why is your camp in a hotel?
Ken: Hosting my camps in these quality hotels creates a great learning and training situation! I attended many weeks of camp every summer throughout my career, and I have vivid memories of the hot gyms and stuffy dorm rooms. Instead of being in hot college gyms for over 6 hours daily, we have an ideal training environment. Plus, between sessions our campers can comfortably recover and get rested for the next session, instead of lying uncomfortably in hot, humid dorm rooms.
AWN: Why did you choose to settle in State College?
Ken: State College is a great place to live, raise a family, and coach wrestling! I have actually chosen to move here on three separate occasions — when I chose to attend Penn State, when I chose to Coach Penn State, and finally, when I chose to settle here permanently with my family.
AWN: Why did you leave State College in the first place?
Ken: Great opportunities. After graduating from Penn State, Russ Hellickson hired me as his assistant coach and I also attended Ohio State Medical School. I spent three years at Ohio State and had a great experience. I fell in love with coaching for good! After my first year of med school, I took a leave of absence to focus on coaching and never looked back. At Ohio State, I helped develop three 3x NCAA All-Americans at 126, 134, and 150, and these guys were our leaders en route to two Top 5 NCAA finishes. Ohio State has never done better before or since those two top 5 finishes.
While at Ohio State, I also started my Gold Medal Summer Training Camp and local wrestling school. Many of the little guys from my original wrestling school have gone on to achieve much success. Two of the older boys have already graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, while the two youngest students, C.P. and Dustin Schlatter, have won many U.S.A. National age group titles.
AWN: Why did you leave Columbus?
Ken: When I left Penn State, I had told John Fritz that when he became the head coach, I would welcome the opportunity to return to coach with him. When John became the head coach in 1992, he asked me to be his assistant and I returned to Happy Valley. Our team won the 1993 National Dual Meet Championship and we were 2nd in NCAA Championship.
AWN: When did you leave Penn State?
In 1993, I left college coaching to work full-time with kids. I had coached college for five years and found it to be challenging, but I found working with kids at my camps to be more rewarding. I opened a wrestling school in my boyhood home, Huntington, WV and began putting more time into the planning and organization of my camp system and teaching system. After living in Huntington for a few years, my wife, Laurie, and I decided the best place for us to raise a family and for me to coach kids wrestling was in State College.
AWN: Where did you meet Laurie? How many kids do you have?
Ken: I met Laurie while I was coaching at Penn State. I never wasted much time with girls while competing and coaching, but once I got to know Laurie, I knew she was someone special. Laurie worked in the athletic department and one of her responsibilities was tracking the admission status of our recruits. Coach Fritz put me in charge of recruiting, so I dealt with Laurie frequently. Before I left Penn State, John Fritz and I signed the #1 recruiting class in the nation: Glenn Pritzlaff, Biff Walizer, Clint Musser, Eddie Jayne, and John Lange. As you can see, I had plenty of good reasons to visit Laurie’s office that year.
Laurie and I have been married 7 years. We got engaged and I decided to quit college coaching to focus on working with kids and putting more time and energy into my camps. Laurie is very involved with our camps and her efforts have been integral to the success of our camp system. Laurie is also a full-time mom. We have a 6-year-old daughter, Emily, and 4-year-old son, Alex. Emily is into gymnastics & ice-skating. She has more coordination then I ever had. Alex is into building and playing with trucks. Both kids take swimming lessons from 2x U.S.A. Olympian, Penn State Great Janie Brown. We are very fortunate that Penn State offers so many opportunities for our children.
AWN: What got you excited about teaching kids?
Ken: I have been helping young wrestlers for as long as I can remember. My brother, Todd, is six years younger than me, and I always helped him and his friends at elementary practices. By the time I was in high school I was doing most of the instruction at the elementary school workouts. I enjoyed working with the young kids and I played an important role in their development.
Throughout college, I worked and trained at camps all summer, and I ran summer day-camps in my hometown. My first camp had 12 kids including my brother, Todd. I am very proud that Todd, and three of his training partners became State Champions in high school. Todd wrestled at Ohio State and is now an Orthopedic Surgeon.
AWN: When did you start doing overnight camps?
Ken: When I graduated from college, I changed my day camp into an overnight camp, and I have been working to help kids through my camps ever since. While many camps come and go and others drop in quality or enrollment over time, I am very proud that my camp has grown annually since 1989.
AWN: How many campers do you have?
Ken: An average week of my summer camp has 220 kids. I divide the kids by skill, weight, and experience into approximately 10 groups of 22 kids. There are two coaches in charge of each group, and the kids get personalized instruction from my dedicated coaching staff and me in small groups.
AWN: How many coaches are on your camp staff?
Ken: I always have over 20-30 coaches on staff each week. I have a core of a dozen coaches who help me throughout most of the summer, and then I bring in a wide array of clinicians and coaches for a few days or weeks. I have found one of the keys to running a successful camp is to surround the campers with many dedicated coaches who are passionate about helping kids. I have worked hard to assemble a diverse group of men who believe in my camp system and know what it takes to be successful on the mats and in life. I am proud to surround my campers with awesome role models.
AWN: Who are the favorite clinicians at your camp?
Ken: That is very difficult to say. Over the past couple of years, I have been able to bring in some of the greatest clinicians in our sport to my camp. I am not limited to a specific university, so I am able to bring in coaches from throughout the nation. During the past year, 10 U.S.A. Olympians taught at my camp including: Kendall Cross, Bruce Baumgartner, Charles Burton, Rob Eiter, Lou Rosselli, Gray Simon, Doug Blubaugh, Rodney Smith, Rob Hermann, and Butch Keaser.
Orthopedic Surgeon and NCAA Champions, Dr. Jim Martin and Dr. Scott Lynch, have worked at many of my camps the past 3 years along with numerous other Penn State Greats. I have as many excellent role models as possible share their motivational stories with my campers. We strive to teach kids not only wrestling, but also how wrestling is training for the rest of your life.
AWN: How do you compare your camps to others?
KC: My camps are special because throughout the past decade I have spent far more time and energy planning my camps than anyone else in the nation. I have developed an organized training system that is superior to what the rest of the camps offer. Although there are many great coaches conducting camps, most of them have other priorities throughout the school year. I am intimately involved in every facet of my camp.
AWN: Who were some of the best kids you ever trained?
Ken: Another tough question. Depends if you define college boys as "kids". I typically do. At Penn State I trained Olympians, Cary Kolat and Kerry McCoy for two years. Although Cary and Kerry were already very talented when they arrived on campus, they had plenty of room for improvement and made very steady strides during those years of training at Penn State.
When I was coaching at Penn State I began training Nathan Galloway. Nathan was 8 years old at the time and I gave him personalized, one-on-one lessons for two years. I would often finish going through our Penn State workout with Kolat and John Hughes, and then Nathan would meet me for more wrestling. I have been training Nathan at my camps and wrestling school since 1993. He has come a long way, but he will need to remain very focused and healthy throughout college to achieve the level of success that Kolat and McCoy have. Some of my most dedicated local schoolboy-age kids who I currently train include: Brad Pataky, Matt Kyler, Justin Shafranich, Quentin Wright, and Nikko Leitzel. Hopefully, these boys will find great success when they get to high school.
AWN: Did you always want to be a coach? Do you or do you ever want to be a high school or college coach?
Ken: My dream throughout high school and college was to be a successful Sports Medicine Doctor and have a big wrestling room in my back yard so I could train kids in evenings and on weekends. I did not even consider being a full-time coach until I had been in college for a couple years. Choosing to coach wrestling full-time was a progressive decision that took years to make, not a choice that I made in one day. I did a lot of soul searching before leaving medical school, but once I decided to coach full-time I never looked back.
Again, I did extensive soul searching before leaving college coaching to focus full-time on working with kids at my camps. I have made a total commitment to helping my campers achieve great things on the mats and in life. I occasionally miss the challenge of college coaching, but it would have to be a perfect situation for me to take a college job. I may want to coach the Olympic Team in 2012.
AWN: Why 2012?
Ken: It is going to be in the U.S.A., and I expect most of the team member to be kids who have grown up attending my camps.
AWN: What are your thoughts on Women’s Wrestling?
Ken: I think wrestling can teach the lessons of life to girls just as well as it teaches them to boys. I hope over the coming decade enough girls will be wrestling that they can have their own teams and compete against each other. Until interest is high enough, they should be allowed to train with and compete against boys if they choose.
AWN: What was your college major? Did you take school seriously? What courses did you like?
Ken: I was a biology major. I scheduled a very challenging curriculum and I took my schoolwork very seriously. School and wrestling were dual priorities for me. I am proud that I graduated from Penn State on the Dean’s List with a 3.6 G.P.A. I remember walking into the classroom on test days and seeing many of the other pre-meds around me sweating bullets, whereby I would be calm and focused. Just like when I would step on the mat to compete, I was prepared. The anxiety of taking a big examination is nothing compared to competing in Rec Hall, Hershey Park Arena, or the Olympics. It is amazing how many students choke on big tests and in big matches. Developing an intense work ethic and self-confidence are essential if you wish to excel in school, wrestling and life.
I believe the huge workload I took on throughout college has prepared my mind to think effectively and efficiently today. On a more practical note, although my favorite subjects were math and science, I took many English and Speech Communication courses too. My writing, reading, and speech courses have undoubtedly helped me tremendously. A successful coach must be a great communicator!
AWN: Who had the most influence on your life?
Ken: Undoubtedly, my parents had the biggest impact on my life. My mom and dad are very hard working people and they always emphasized the importance of education and the pursuit of knowledge. Although neither of my parents had any background in wrestling, once I made a commitment to finding success in wrestling they were very supportive. My junior high, high school, and college coaches all had a big impact on my life.
AWN: What part of the USA do you feel is the best for wrestling talent?
Ken: Pennsylvania! What else am I allowed to say? Seriously though, our state has many dedicated kids, coaches, and parents. Wrestling is an important part of our state’s culture. Most successful wrestlers who excel in high school and beyond have supportive parents, dedicated coaches, and often come from communities that take pride in their wrestling programs. Fortunately, we have many dedicated wrestling parents, coaches, and communities in Pennsylvania.
AWN: Do you feel the sport of wrestling is growing?
Ken: Wrestling is undoubtedly growing at the youth level. We coaches need to keep recruiting kids to participate at the junior high level and keep workouts interesting so the kids stay motivated to compete throughout high school.
Obviously we are struggling to keep our college programs, but that is often due to the misinterpretation of Title IX, not lack of interest in wrestling. I believe the college coaches should do much more to promote our sport both on campus and in their community. Many of the programs that have been dropped were not well promoted. Building a successful program at any level entails much more than just conducting workouts.
AWN: Any final thoughts?
Ken: Laurie and I are excited to be in Pennsylvania permanently! We recently bought four acres of land six miles from Penn State and are building a new home and wrestling facility. Our complex will include our camp office, video analysis room, full locker room, and two big wrestling rooms. We broke ground a couple months ago and expect to move in this spring. We will continue to conduct our summer camps in hotels, but we will be hosting our most dedicated campers at our home for small group training sessions.
April 30th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling Tournament College Wrestling Rankings Videos News Results
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The 2009 NCAA Tournament site is updated with the latest available for the 2009 NCAA Wrestling tournament. It currently holds the 2009 Ticketing details, sites and sounds around St. Louis, and several other key features. The tournament schedule is yet to be determined for the event and as a result television details are still in the works.
If the Olympic Games are a history of mankind, wrestling is the prologue. When the ancient Games of the Olympiad were born, wrestling already was an ancient game. Widely recognised as the world's oldest competitive sport, wrestling appeared in a series of Egyptian wall paintings as many as 5000 years ago. When the Games began in 776 BC, more than two millenniums later, it included wrestling, and, in the years that followed, wrestling featured as the main event.
The sport would return in a similar role when the Olympic Games returned after a 1500-year absence in 1896. Organisers, seeking direct links to ancient times, found a natural in the sport that had enjoyed popularity across much of the ancient world, from Greece, Assyria and Babylon to India, China and Japan. They resurrected Greco-Roman wrestling, a style they believed to be an exact carryover from the Greek and Roman wrestlers of old.
In Greco-Roman wrestling, the wrestlers used only their arms and upper bodies to attack. They could hold only those same parts of their opponents. It worked nicely from a historical perspective, but another breezier style was sweeping across Great Britain and the United States by then. Known as "catch as catch can", it had become standard fare - and popular professional entertainment - at fairs and festivals in both countries.
In 1904, the Olympic Games added the second wrestling event and called it "freestyle". Now, wrestlers could use their legs for pushing, lifting and tripping, and they could hold opponents above or below the waist.
April 30th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling Tournament College Wrestling Rankings Videos News Results
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Steven Suder resigns as head coach at Wyoming
University of Wyoming
04/29/2008
LARAMIE, Wyo. - University of Wyoming Athletics Director Tom Burman announced on Tuesday that head wrestling coach Steven Suder is resigning his position at the University of Wyoming to pursue other interests.
Suder has served as head coach of the Cowboy wrestling program for the past 19 years, and was also a former Cowboy wrestling letterman from 1975-79.
"Coach Suder has been a part of our athletic program for over two decades as a coach and student-athlete, and we thank him for all his many years of service," said Burman. "Before returning as head coach, he was an outstanding wrestler here at UW. We wish him, his wife Deanna and his family all the best."
"I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to come back and serve as the head wrestling coach at UW for these past 19 years," said Suder. "I have worked alongside some great people during this assignment. In my opinion, everything is in place for this program to climb back up and challenge for championships and Top 15 national rankings again. Some very good changes have been made in the last couple years including the additions of current assistant coaches Ben (VomBaur) and Travis (Shufelt), and it's time to have some fresh, hungry, passionate `newness' leading the way. I am excited to see it happen."
"Either of those men would fill his shoes pretty well." A source close to the story said.
Suder led Wyoming to two Western Athletic Conference team titles as head coach in 1990 and 1992. He was selected WAC Coach of the Year four times, and since UW left the WAC after the 1999 season, Suder earned NCAA West Regional Coach of the Year honors twice -- in 2001 and 2004. His dual record as a head coach is 127-136-2 (.483). As a student-athlete, he earned All-America honors his senior year of 1979 after placing eighth in the 150-pound weight class at the NCAA Championships.
Burman said that current Cowboy assistant coach Ben VomBaur would serve as the interim head coach, but that no specific timetable for filling the head-coaching position would be established.
April 27th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling Tournament College Wrestling Rankings Videos News Results
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Quotes from National Men’s Freestyle champions
USA FloWrestling
04/26/2008
55 kg/121 lbs. - Matt Azevedo, Pismo Beach, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
(On Cejudo move that led to the pin)
“A little bit, yeah. I think when you lose the first period it definitely changes your mind frame. You feel like you have to go out and get the guy. A lot of times I feel like that too. I think he maybe tried to force something that wasn’t there.”
“I expected to win. I knew I could win a National title and obviously this is just a stepping stone to get to the Olympic team. This is a big goal. This is a big deal for me to be a National champion.”
60 kg/132 lbs. - Shawn Bunch, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
(On having to prove himself here)
“I’ve been beating guys all the time. I felt like I didn’t get respect for what I’ve been doing. I can beat all those guys. I think I’m the best in the world and I can win the Olympic gold if I make the team.”
(On what his strength is right now)
“I wrestle smarter now. I’m more physical with my hands. I’m just using what I’ve learned on the mat.”
(On how he prepares for the Trials)
“My mindset is to win, don’t give up anything. I know I can do it. I’ve been working out, practicing, and beating everyone in the room. I’m ready for that.”
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Doug Schwab, Iowa City, Iowa (Gator WC)
(On competing at this competitive weight)
“Everybody knows each other so well. I’ve wrestled him. Everybody has wrestled everybody in our weight so many times. It just comes down to the fact that you do it so well it doesn’t even matter.”
“I didn’t really set up my holds. I was hanging on the head a lot and blocking off instead of getting attacks. He was doing a good job of going for that high crotch, he’s good there. I felt like I missed some opportunities for go behinds, ones I really wasn’t very happy with. Like you said, I really don’t want it to go to a clinch, because it’s a flip of a coin. That’s not good enough odds for me.”
74 kg/163 lbs. - Ben Askren, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids)
(On his dream of doing this)
“You know I had a lot of things I wanted to do this year. I said this year I wanted to be tough. This year is for the Olympics. That’s all I do everyday, my life’s boring, but it paid off.”
(On whether he thought he should be number one)
“I felt like it. I beat Donny (Pritzlaff), I placed above Casey (Cunningham), I had great overseas tournaments. I’ve been number one since November and then all the sudden they come in and move me down to number three.”
(On being down in his second match)
“I know Ramico (Blackmon) can’t go three periods hard with me. I got a little over anxious in making him tired, but I knew if I made him tired in the first period it would pay off in the second and third. To win the first period really wasn’t necessary. I was expecting to go three.”
84 kg/185 lbs. - Mo Lawal, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
(On not getting respect before the event)
“Not disrespected, but I feel like people forgot about me. They tried to make a star out of some of these college kids. They forgot about me.”
(On having lost before)
“The thing is if me and Andy (Hrovat) are wrestling tomorrow he won’t be thinking about this last match because it’s a new match. Anything can happen.”
(On dropping back to 84 kg)
“I just decided to do it. I was kind of light and 84 is where it’s at, so I came back.”
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
(On staying at this weight)
“The thing that kept me at this weight is that it’s my weight class. I can’t wrestle heavyweight. I’m not tall enough. I’m too short. I’ve been successful when I have gone up but I don’t think I could wrestle it as well as 96 kg at a consistent basis.”
(On whether this is his last shot)
“I think when you start saying this is my last chance you almost set yourself up to fail. You set your expectations so high that you may not reach them. That can happen anytime, but I really don’t want to put a timetable on my career until I accomplish everything I need to accomplish in this sport.”
(On staying on top for so long)
“The keys are a good coaching staff, John Smith and Kevin Jackson. Good training partners, I had Tommy Rowlands in a couple weeks ago. Mo Lawal has been in Stillwater and he’s a national champ, Chris Pendleton, Tyrone Lewis, good training partners. I mean just being dedicated is important.”
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
(On the exchange with Steve Mocco)
“I don't have any hard feelings (about it). The hand fighting just got a little too physical. It was a real tough match."
(On the winning point)
“There was no controversy on the last point at all. The only controversy is that I need to wrestle better.”
(On what he needs to do better)
“My preparation was great for this tournament. I felt great out there. I didn’t execute the way I wanted to. I need to get my offense going and score more points. I was ready to go. I just need to compete better next time.”
(On his Olympic goal)
“I feel like I’m the best in America. If I wrestle my best, I can compete for a gold medal in the Olympics.”
ST. LOUIS – March 20, 2008 — Beginning today, fans can order tickets to next year’s NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis. Tickets may be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 314/241-1888 or 866/646-8849 (toll free).
Fans attending this year’s Championships in St. Louis can also purchase tickets at the Scottrade Center box office during the event.
Tickets to the 2009 Championships are sold as all-session packages, providing admission to the six sessions taking place during the three-day tournament, and start at only $60. Other mezzanine level seats are $90 and $120. Tickets in the plaza level are $150. All tickets are subject to Ticketmaster convenience charges and handling fees.
The 79th NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships take place at Scottrade Center March 19-21, 2009. The University of Missouri and the St. Louis Sports Commission serve as hosts for the event, which returns to the Gateway City for the fifth time in 10 years. The 2000 Championships in St. Louis boast the event’s all-time total attendance record of 96,944.
In addition to obtaining tickets, fans can also reserve hotel rooms for their stay in St. Louis. Hotel reservations can be made online at www.stlsports.org/wrestling or by calling the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission toll-free at 888/882-5569.
The 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships is one of 10 NCAA Division I championships taking place in St. Louis this decade. The region previously hosted the Wrestling Championships in 2000, 2004 and 2005; the Women’s Final Four in 2001; the Men’s Final Four in 2005; the Men’s Soccer College Cup in 2006; and the Men’s Frozen Four in 2007. In addition to the 2008 Wrestling Championships, which begin today, the region will also host the Women’s Final Four in 2009.
For more information on the 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships visit NCAA Wrestling Tournament.com
April 27th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling Tournament College Wrestling Rankings Videos News Results
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TheWrestlingTalk released major update to its community about 2 weeks ago. I waited to detail the update until most of the finishing touches were completed. Check out how TWT is revolutionizing how wrestlers communicate:
Personal Profiles: (Here's Mine) This isn't just a wrestler's Facebook/MySpace. Complete your recruiting profile and get noticed by college coaches, add your highlight video from TWT Videos. If you put yourself on YouTube, you can add those videos to your profile as well.
Social Groups / Free Team Sites: Create your own team site with a forum, ability to add photos, videos, and more. Use the social groups feature to promote a cause (Save X's Wrestling Team, Donate to X's recovery fund) or connect with people who have a niche interest you share.
Free Wrestling Blog: Keep track of your daily workout regimen or keep your fan base up to date on your latest wrestling tournament.
Photo Albums: Wrestling is not your only interest, show off what else you enjoy. An excellent way to get to know your forum mates!
April 27th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling Tournament College Wrestling Rankings Videos News Results
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TheWrestlingTalk released major update to its community about 2 weeks ago. I waited to detail the update until most of the finishing touches were completed. Check out how TWT is revolutionizing how wrestlers communicate:
Personal Profiles: (Here's Mine) This isn't just a wrestler's Facebook/MySpace. Complete your recruiting profile and get noticed by college coaches, add your highlight video from TWT Videos. If you put yourself on YouTube, you can add those videos to your profile as well.
Social Groups / Free Team Sites: Create your own team site with a forum, ability to add photos, videos, and more. Use the social groups feature to promote a cause (Save X's Wrestling Team, Donate to X's recovery fund) or connect with people who have a niche interest you share.
Free Wrestling Blog: Keep track of your daily workout regimen or keep your fan base up to date on your latest wrestling tournament.
Photo Albums: Wrestling is not your only interest, show off what else you enjoy. An excellent way to get to know your forum mates!
April 27th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling Tournament College Wrestling Rankings Videos News Results
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Four new national champions crowned in wild U.S. Freestyle Nationals finals; Azevedo pins Cejudo at 55 kg
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
04/26/2008
LAS VEGAS, NEV. - It was a night for newcomers, as four of the seven winners won a Senior national title for the first time at the 2008 Las Vegas/ASICS U.S. National Freestyle Championships at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Saturday night.
The first four weight classes were captured by first-time winners: Matt Azevedo (Pismo Beach, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Shawn Bunch (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Doug Schwab (Iowa City, Iowa/Gator WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Ben Askren (Columbia, Mo./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs.
Azevedo shocked two-time U.S. Nationals champion and top-seed Henry Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) with a second period pin, 1-0, 0:18. Azevedo won the first period, scoring a takedown from the clinch. Early in the second period, Azevedo blocked a front headlock attempt by Cejudo and caught him on his back, securing the pin. Azevedo was named Outstanding Wrestler based upon his performance.
“I expected to win. I knew I could win a National title and obviously this is just a stepping stone to get to the Olympic team. This is a big goal. This is a big deal for me to be a National champion,” said Azevedo.
Azevedo took advantage of a move by Cejudo which he felt may have been forced.
“I think when you lose the first period it definitely changes your mind frame,” said Azevedo. “You feel like you have to go out and get the guy. A lot of times I feel like that too. I think he maybe tried to force something that wasn’t there.”
Bunch defeated Oklahoma State NCAA champion Coleman Scott (Waynesburg, Pa./Gator WC) in two straight periods, 4-0, 1-0. Bunch scored a three-point front headlock in the first period along with another takedown, and scored the only takedown in the second period.
“I’ve been beating guys all the time. I felt like I didn’t get respect for what I’ve been doing. I can beat all those guys. I think I’m the best in the world and I can win the Olympic gold if I make the team,” said Bunch.
Schwab, who was fifth in the 2007 World Championships, scored a two-period victory over 2006 World Champion Bill Zadick (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC), 1-0, 3-0. Schwab won both periods by scoring takedowns from the clinch. In the first period, Zadick received one point for the takedown, and in the second period, he received three points for the exposure.
“Everybody knows each other so well. I’ve wrestled him. Everybody has wrestled everybody in our weight so many times. It just comes down to the fact that you do it so well it doesn’t even matter,” said Schwab.
Askren won in two straight periods, defeating 2006 World Team Trials runner-up Tyrone Lewis (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC), 3-0, 3-2. Askren won the first period with a three-point double leg takedown. In the second period, trailing 2-0, Askren scored a two-point exposure and a takedown for the victory.
“You know I had a lot of things I wanted to do this year. I said this year I wanted to be tough. This year is for the Olympics. That’s all I do everyday, my life’s boring, but it paid off,” said Askren.
Previous champions won the next three matches, with Mo Lawal (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) capturing his third U.S. Nationals title at 84 kg/185 lbs. and 2004 Olympian Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Sunkist Kids) winning his sixth career nationals title with a win at 96 kg/211.5 pounds and Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) winning his second straight national gold at 120 kg/264.5 pounds.
Lawal defeated 2006 World Team member Andy Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC), 1-1, 1-0. In the first period, Hrovat scored the first takedown, with Lawal taking the second takedown, winning the period on the tiebreaker of last point scored. In the second period, Lawal had the only takedown.
Cormier was dominant in his 7-0, 2-0 victory over Nik Fekete (Iowa City, Iowa/New York AC). In the first period technical fall, Cormier scored two takedowns for one point, a two-point gutwrench and a three-point front headlock. In the second period, Cormier added two more takedowns.
Lawal and Cormier met in the finals of the 2007 U.S. Nationals, with Cormier winning by 1-0, 1-0. Cormier also beat Lawal in the finals of the World Team Trials. This year, Lawal dropped back to 84 kg/185 lbs. and both were national champions. Both wrestlers attended Oklahoma State and are friends.
In a hotly contested heavyweight finals, Rowlands defeated Steve Mocco (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) , 3-0, 0-2, 1-0. The action was so intense that the wrestlers traded blows at the end of the second period.
Rowlands won the first period with a takedown with exposure from the clinch. Mocco had a takedown and a stepout for points in the second period. The only point in the final round was when Rowlands forced Mocco to step out on a hip toss during a scramble.
By winning the U.S. Nationals, three wrestlers qualified to advance directly to the best-of-three series at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. There are four criteria that a 2008 National champion must meet in order to skip straight into the final series. They are:
• Top 10 finish at the 2005, 2006 or 2007 Senior World Championships
• 2005 University World Games medalist
• 2005, 2006 or 2007 Junior World medalist
• Multiple-time U.S. World Team member
Based upon these criteria, advancing into the finals series are Schwab, Lawal and Rowlands. The other four champions will enter the Challenge Tournament portion of the tournament.
The top seven placewinners at each weight class qualified to compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Las Vegas, Nev., June 13-15.
U.S. NATIONAL FREESTYLE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Las Vegas, Nev., April 26
55 kg/121 lbs.
1st – Matt Azevedo, Pismo Beach, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) pin Henry Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 0:18
3rd - Danny Felix, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Nick Simmons, Williamstown, Mich. (Sunkist Kids), 2-1, 0-2, 3-0
5th - Vic Moreno, Palo Alto, Calif (Gator WC) dec. Grant Nakamura, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 5-0,6-2
7th - Adam Smith, State College, Pa. (New York AC) dec. Javier Maldonado, Kissimmee, Fla. (Sunkist Kids), 6-0, 1-0
April 26th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling Tournament College Wrestling Rankings Videos News Results
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Hard-charging Schwab advances to freestyle finals at U.S. Nationals
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
04/26/2008
LAS VEGAS – Doug Schwab proved he belonged on the United States World Team in freestyle wrestling last year.
A surprise winner at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials in Las Vegas, Schwab placed fifth in his first trip to the World Championships and qualified the United States for the Olympics at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
But Schwab still has his share of doubters and detractors – many of whom feel Schwab turned in the tournament of his life and couldn’t repeat his feat again this year.
The top-seeded Schwab took a big step toward proving many of them wrong by advancing to the finals of the U.S. Nationals on Saturday afternoon at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
A win over 2006 World champion Bill Zadick in Saturday night’s finals would send Schwab into the best-of-3 finals series at June’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
“I’m sure there were a lot of guys here hoping they would draw me, and that’s fine,” Schwab said. “A lot of people just think I had one good tournament. I want to show them I can consistently beat these guys because I know I can.”
Upsets occurred early and often on Saturday morning as No. 1 seeds Casey Cunningham (74 kg/163 lbs.) and Joe Williams (84 kg/185 lbs.) both dropped first-round matches.
Schwab outlasted No. 5 seed Jared Frayer 4-3, 2-3, 1-0 in the semifinals. The third period was scoreless after two minutes and came down to the leg clinch. Schwab won the coin flip and quickly finished with Frayer’s leg to pull out the win.
“He’s a dangerous wrestler and he caught me in the second period with an arm spin,” Schwab said. “I shouldn’t have let it come down to the clinch in the third period. I need to stay on the attack more and not let that happen.”
It will be an interesting battle in the finals, matching a pair of past NCAA wrestling champions for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Zadick, 35, made his second World Team in 2006 and won a World title in Guangzhou, China. Schwab, 30, followed by making his first World Team in 2007 before turning in a top-five finish in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Schwab is coached by Iowa head coach Tom Brands, a past Olympic and World champion. Zadick is coached by U.S. Freestyle Resident Coach Terry Brands, Tom’s twin brother who was a two-time World champion.
“That’s great,” Schwab said when informed Zadick had reached the finals. “It will be a great opportunity for me to wrestle a World champion. Bill’s a tough competitor. I’m looking forward to it.”
Schwab, an assistant coach at the University of Iowa, has made noticeable gains since making the World Team last year. He won a bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before turning in a strong performance at the World Championships.
“I’m so much better than I was last year,” Schwab said. “Obviously, everything I went through after making the World Team made me a much better wrestler. I’m really excited to see what I can do this year. I gained a lot of experience and confidence. I know I can wrestle with anybody right now.”
Unseeded Eric Luedke, a past All-American for the Iowa Hawkeyes, knocked off Cunningham 0-3, 4-4, 4-2 in the opening round. Cunningham placed second at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials.
The top-seeded Williams, a two-time World bronze medalist, suffered a stunning early loss when he fell to unseeded B.J. Padden in the first round. Padden shot in on a duck-under maneuver and finished with a double-leg takedown with four seconds left to earn the 0-1, 3-0, 2-2 win.
Another early upset occurred at 74 kg/163 lbs. when Ryan Churella knocked off 2006 World bronze medalist and No. 2 seed Donny Pritzlaff in the quarterfinals.
Three other members of the 2007 U.S. World Team reached the finals Saturday. That group includes World bronze medalist Daniel Cormier (96 kg/211.5 lbs.) along with World Team members Henry Cejudo (55 kg/121 lbs.) and Tommy Rowlands (120 kg/264.5 lbs.).
Mike Zadick and Nate Gallick, ranked 1-2 at 60 kg/132 lbs., are not competing this weekend. Zadick wrestled in an Olympic qualification tournament last weekend in Switzerland and Gallick is scheduled to compete in the final Olympic qualifier for freestyle next weekend in Poland.
Gallick needs to place in the top three to qualify the U.S. for the Olympics at 60 kilos.
U.S. NATIONALS FREESTYLE FINALISTS
55 kg/121 lbs. – Henry Cejudo (Sunkist Kids) vs. Matt Azevedo (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Coleman Scott (Gator WC) vs. Shawn Bunch (Gator WC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Doug Schwab (Gator WC) vs. Bill Zadick (Gator WC)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Tyrone Lewis (Gator WC) vs. Ben Askren (Sunkist Kids)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Andy Hrovat (New York AC) vs. Mo Lawal (Sunkist Kids)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Daniel Cormier (Gator WC) vs. Nik Fekete (New York AC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tommy Rowlands (Sunkist Kids) vs. Steve Mocco (New York AC)
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Ken owns a system of wrestling camps that travel around the nation.
AWN recently interviewed Ken Chertow. Ken, a Penn State graduate, was a 3X All-American, 3x Academic All-American, and member of the U.S. Olympic Team. He is also our AWN Training Tips Columnist. The following is a blow-by-blow Q & A.
AWN: Where do you currently live and coach?
Ken: I live in State College, Pennsylvania where I train Pennsylvania wrestlers throughout the year. My Gold Medal Training Camp is based in State College, but I also conduct camps throughout the nation.
AWN: Where do you conduct your camps?
Ken: I conduct my summer and winter camps in nice hotels in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. In Pennsylvania we use the State College Ramada Inn, and we have added a new Pennsylvania site for August 2002, the Allentown Days Inn Convention Center. I also run 3-day weekend Camp of Champs throughout the year in State College and in 11 different states.
AWN: Why is your camp in a hotel?
Ken: Hosting my camps in these quality hotels creates a great learning and training situation! I attended many weeks of camp every summer throughout my career, and I have vivid memories of the hot gyms and stuffy dorm rooms. Instead of being in hot college gyms for over 6 hours daily, we have an ideal training environment. Plus, between sessions our campers can comfortably recover and get rested for the next session, instead of lying uncomfortably in hot, humid dorm rooms.
AWN: Why did you choose to settle in State College?
Ken: State College is a great place to live, raise a family, and coach wrestling! I have actually chosen to move here on three separate occasions — when I chose to attend Penn State, when I chose to Coach Penn State, and finally, when I chose to settle here permanently with my family.
AWN: Why did you leave State College in the first place?
Ken: Great opportunities. After graduating from Penn State, Russ Hellickson hired me as his assistant coach and I also attended Ohio State Medical School. I spent three years at Ohio State and had a great experience. I fell in love with coaching for good! After my first year of med school, I took a leave of absence to focus on coaching and never looked back. At Ohio State, I helped develop three 3x NCAA All-Americans at 126, 134, and 150, and these guys were our leaders en route to two Top 5 NCAA finishes. Ohio State has never done better before or since those two top 5 finishes.
While at Ohio State, I also started my Gold Medal Summer Training Camp and local wrestling school. Many of the little guys from my original wrestling school have gone on to achieve much success. Two of the older boys have already graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, while the two youngest students, C.P. and Dustin Schlatter, have won many U.S.A. National age group titles.
AWN: Why did you leave Columbus?
Ken: When I left Penn State, I had told John Fritz that when he became the head coach, I would welcome the opportunity to return to coach with him. When John became the head coach in 1992, he asked me to be his assistant and I returned to Happy Valley. Our team won the 1993 National Dual Meet Championship and we were 2nd in NCAA Championship.
AWN: When did you leave Penn State?
In 1993, I left college coaching to work full-time with kids. I had coached college for five years and found it to be challenging, but I found working with kids at my camps to be more rewarding. I opened a wrestling school in my boyhood home, Huntington, WV and began putting more time into the planning and organization of my camp system and teaching system. After living in Huntington for a few years, my wife, Laurie, and I decided the best place for us to raise a family and for me to coach kids wrestling was in State College.
AWN: Where did you meet Laurie? How many kids do you have?
Ken: I met Laurie while I was coaching at Penn State. I never wasted much time with girls while competing and coaching, but once I got to know Laurie, I knew she was someone special. Laurie worked in the athletic department and one of her responsibilities was tracking the admission status of our recruits. Coach Fritz put me in charge of recruiting, so I dealt with Laurie frequently. Before I left Penn State, John Fritz and I signed the #1 recruiting class in the nation: Glenn Pritzlaff, Biff Walizer, Clint Musser, Eddie Jayne, and John Lange. As you can see, I had plenty of good reasons to visit Laurie’s office that year.
Laurie and I have been married 7 years. We got engaged and I decided to quit college coaching to focus on working with kids and putting more time and energy into my camps. Laurie is very involved with our camps and her efforts have been integral to the success of our camp system. Laurie is also a full-time mom. We have a 6-year-old daughter, Emily, and 4-year-old son, Alex. Emily is into gymnastics & ice-skating. She has more coordination then I ever had. Alex is into building and playing with trucks. Both kids take swimming lessons from 2x U.S.A. Olympian, Penn State Great Janie Brown. We are very fortunate that Penn State offers so many opportunities for our children.
AWN: What got you excited about teaching kids?
Ken: I have been helping young wrestlers for as long as I can remember. My brother, Todd, is six years younger than me, and I always helped him and his friends at elementary practices. By the time I was in high school I was doing most of the instruction at the elementary school workouts. I enjoyed working with the young kids and I played an important role in their development.
Throughout college, I worked and trained at camps all summer, and I ran summer day-camps in my hometown. My first camp had 12 kids including my brother, Todd. I am very proud that Todd, and three of his training partners became State Champions in high school. Todd wrestled at Ohio State and is now an Orthopedic Surgeon.
AWN: When did you start doing overnight camps?
Ken: When I graduated from college, I changed my day camp into an overnight camp, and I have been working to help kids through my camps ever since. While many camps come and go and others drop in quality or enrollment over time, I am very proud that my camp has grown annually since 1989.
AWN: How many campers do you have?
Ken: An average week of my summer camp has 220 kids. I divide the kids by skill, weight, and experience into approximately 10 groups of 22 kids. There are two coaches in charge of each group, and the kids get personalized instruction from my dedicated coaching staff and me in small groups.
AWN: How many coaches are on your camp staff?
Ken: I always have over 20-30 coaches on staff each week. I have a core of a dozen coaches who help me throughout most of the summer, and then I bring in a wide array of clinicians and coaches for a few days or weeks. I have found one of the keys to running a successful camp is to surround the campers with many dedicated coaches who are passionate about helping kids. I have worked hard to assemble a diverse group of men who believe in my camp system and know what it takes to be successful on the mats and in life. I am proud to surround my campers with awesome role models.
AWN: Who are the favorite clinicians at your camp?
Ken: That is very difficult to say. Over the past couple of years, I have been able to bring in some of the greatest clinicians in our sport to my camp. I am not limited to a specific university, so I am able to bring in coaches from throughout the nation. During the past year, 10 U.S.A. Olympians taught at my camp including: Kendall Cross, Bruce Baumgartner, Charles Burton, Rob Eiter, Lou Rosselli, Gray Simon, Doug Blubaugh, Rodney Smith, Rob Hermann, and Butch Keaser.
Orthopedic Surgeon and NCAA Champions, Dr. Jim Martin and Dr. Scott Lynch, have worked at many of my camps the past 3 years along with numerous other Penn State Greats. I have as many excellent role models as possible share their motivational stories with my campers. We strive to teach kids not only wrestling, but also how wrestling is training for the rest of your life.
AWN: How do you compare your camps to others?
KC: My camps are special because throughout the past decade I have spent far more time and energy planning my camps than anyone else in the nation. I have developed an organized training system that is superior to what the rest of the camps offer. Although there are many great coaches conducting camps, most of them have other priorities throughout the school year. I am intimately involved in every facet of my camp.
AWN: Who were some of the best kids you ever trained?
Ken: Another tough question. Depends if you define college boys as "kids". I typically do. At Penn State I trained Olympians, Cary Kolat and Kerry McCoy for two years. Although Cary and Kerry were already very talented when they arrived on campus, they had plenty of room for improvement and made very steady strides during those years of training at Penn State.
When I was coaching at Penn State I began training Nathan Galloway. Nathan was 8 years old at the time and I gave him personalized, one-on-one lessons for two years. I would often finish going through our Penn State workout with Kolat and John Hughes, and then Nathan would meet me for more wrestling. I have been training Nathan at my camps and wrestling school since 1993. He has come a long way, but he will need to remain very focused and healthy throughout college to achieve the level of success that Kolat and McCoy have. Some of my most dedicated local schoolboy-age kids who I currently train include: Brad Pataky, Matt Kyler, Justin Shafranich, Quentin Wright, and Nikko Leitzel. Hopefully, these boys will find great success when they get to high school.
AWN: Did you always want to be a coach? Do you or do you ever want to be a high school or college coach?
Ken: My dream throughout high school and college was to be a successful Sports Medicine Doctor and have a big wrestling room in my back yard so I could train kids in evenings and on weekends. I did not even consider being a full-time coach until I had been in college for a couple years. Choosing to coach wrestling full-time was a progressive decision that took years to make, not a choice that I made in one day. I did a lot of soul searching before leaving medical school, but once I decided to coach full-time I never looked back.
Again, I did extensive soul searching before leaving college coaching to focus full-time on working with kids at my camps. I have made a total commitment to helping my campers achieve great things on the mats and in life. I occasionally miss the challenge of college coaching, but it would have to be a perfect situation for me to take a college job. I may want to coach the Olympic Team in 2012.
AWN: Why 2012?
Ken: It is going to be in the U.S.A., and I expect most of the team member to be kids who have grown up attending my camps.
AWN: What are your thoughts on Women’s Wrestling?
Ken: I think wrestling can teach the lessons of life to girls just as well as it teaches them to boys. I hope over the coming decade enough girls will be wrestling that they can have their own teams and compete against each other. Until interest is high enough, they should be allowed to train with and compete against boys if they choose.
AWN: What was your college major? Did you take school seriously? What courses did you like?
Ken: I was a biology major. I scheduled a very challenging curriculum and I took my schoolwork very seriously. School and wrestling were dual priorities for me. I am proud that I graduated from Penn State on the Dean’s List with a 3.6 G.P.A. I remember walking into the classroom on test days and seeing many of the other pre-meds around me sweating bullets, whereby I would be calm and focused. Just like when I would step on the mat to compete, I was prepared. The anxiety of taking a big examination is nothing compared to competing in Rec Hall, Hershey Park Arena, or the Olympics. It is amazing how many students choke on big tests and in big matches. Developing an intense work ethic and self-confidence are essential if you wish to excel in school, wrestling and life.
I believe the huge workload I took on throughout college has prepared my mind to think effectively and efficiently today. On a more practical note, although my favorite subjects were math and science, I took many English and Speech Communication courses too. My writing, reading, and speech courses have undoubtedly helped me tremendously. A successful coach must be a great communicator!
AWN: Who had the most influence on your life?
Ken: Undoubtedly, my parents had the biggest impact on my life. My mom and dad are very hard working people and they always emphasized the importance of education and the pursuit of knowledge. Although neither of my parents had any background in wrestling, once I made a commitment to finding success in wrestling they were very supportive. My junior high, high school, and college coaches all had a big impact on my life.
AWN: What part of the USA do you feel is the best for wrestling talent?
Ken: Pennsylvania! What else am I allowed to say? Seriously though, our state has many dedicated kids, coaches, and parents. Wrestling is an important part of our state’s culture. Most successful wrestlers who excel in high school and beyond have supportive parents, dedicated coaches, and often come from communities that take pride in their wrestling programs. Fortunately, we have many dedicated wrestling parents, coaches, and communities in Pennsylvania.
AWN: Do you feel the sport of wrestling is growing?
Ken: Wrestling is undoubtedly growing at the youth level. We coaches need to keep recruiting kids to participate at the junior high level and keep workouts interesting so the kids stay motivated to compete throughout high school.
Obviously we are struggling to keep our college programs, but that is often due to the misinterpretation of Title IX, not lack of interest in wrestling. I believe the college coaches should do much more to promote our sport both on campus and in their community. Many of the programs that have been dropped were not well promoted. Building a successful program at any level entails much more than just conducting workouts.
AWN: Any final thoughts?
Ken: Laurie and I are excited to be in Pennsylvania permanently! We recently bought four acres of land six miles from Penn State and are building a new home and wrestling facility. Our complex will include our camp office, video analysis room, full locker room, and two big wrestling rooms. We broke ground a couple months ago and expect to move in this spring. We will continue to conduct our summer camps in hotels, but we will be hosting our most dedicated campers at our home for small group training sessions.
AWN: What is your favorite wresting publication?
Ken: Amateur Wrestling News!
The 2009 NCAA Tournament site is updated with the latest available for the 2009 NCAA Wrestling tournament. It currently holds the 2009 Ticketing details, sites and sounds around St. Louis, and several other key features. The tournament schedule is yet to be determined for the event and as a result television details are still in the works.
2008 Beijing Olympic Games
If the Olympic Games are a history of mankind, wrestling is the prologue. When the ancient Games of the Olympiad were born, wrestling already was an ancient game. Widely recognised as the world's oldest competitive sport, wrestling appeared in a series of Egyptian wall paintings as many as 5000 years ago. When the Games began in 776 BC, more than two millenniums later, it included wrestling, and, in the years that followed, wrestling featured as the main event.
The sport would return in a similar role when the Olympic Games returned after a 1500-year absence in 1896. Organisers, seeking direct links to ancient times, found a natural in the sport that had enjoyed popularity across much of the ancient world, from Greece, Assyria and Babylon to India, China and Japan. They resurrected Greco-Roman wrestling, a style they believed to be an exact carryover from the Greek and Roman wrestlers of old.
In Greco-Roman wrestling, the wrestlers used only their arms and upper bodies to attack. They could hold only those same parts of their opponents. It worked nicely from a historical perspective, but another breezier style was sweeping across Great Britain and the United States by then. Known as "catch as catch can", it had become standard fare - and popular professional entertainment - at fairs and festivals in both countries.
In 1904, the Olympic Games added the second wrestling event and called it "freestyle". Now, wrestlers could use their legs for pushing, lifting and tripping, and they could hold opponents above or below the waist.
Steven Suder resigns as head coach at Wyoming
University of Wyoming
04/29/2008
LARAMIE, Wyo. - University of Wyoming Athletics Director Tom Burman announced on Tuesday that head wrestling coach Steven Suder is resigning his position at the University of Wyoming to pursue other interests.
Suder has served as head coach of the Cowboy wrestling program for the past 19 years, and was also a former Cowboy wrestling letterman from 1975-79.
"Coach Suder has been a part of our athletic program for over two decades as a coach and student-athlete, and we thank him for all his many years of service," said Burman. "Before returning as head coach, he was an outstanding wrestler here at UW. We wish him, his wife Deanna and his family all the best."
"I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to come back and serve as the head wrestling coach at UW for these past 19 years," said Suder. "I have worked alongside some great people during this assignment. In my opinion, everything is in place for this program to climb back up and challenge for championships and Top 15 national rankings again. Some very good changes have been made in the last couple years including the additions of current assistant coaches Ben (VomBaur) and Travis (Shufelt), and it's time to have some fresh, hungry, passionate `newness' leading the way. I am excited to see it happen."
"Either of those men would fill his shoes pretty well." A source close to the story said.
Suder led Wyoming to two Western Athletic Conference team titles as head coach in 1990 and 1992. He was selected WAC Coach of the Year four times, and since UW left the WAC after the 1999 season, Suder earned NCAA West Regional Coach of the Year honors twice -- in 2001 and 2004. His dual record as a head coach is 127-136-2 (.483). As a student-athlete, he earned All-America honors his senior year of 1979 after placing eighth in the 150-pound weight class at the NCAA Championships.
Burman said that current Cowboy assistant coach Ben VomBaur would serve as the interim head coach, but that no specific timetable for filling the head-coaching position would be established.
Quotes from National Men’s Freestyle champions
USA FloWrestling
04/26/2008
55 kg/121 lbs. - Matt Azevedo, Pismo Beach, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
(On Cejudo move that led to the pin)
“A little bit, yeah. I think when you lose the first period it definitely changes your mind frame. You feel like you have to go out and get the guy. A lot of times I feel like that too. I think he maybe tried to force something that wasn’t there.”
“I expected to win. I knew I could win a National title and obviously this is just a stepping stone to get to the Olympic team. This is a big goal. This is a big deal for me to be a National champion.”
60 kg/132 lbs. - Shawn Bunch, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
(On having to prove himself here)
“I’ve been beating guys all the time. I felt like I didn’t get respect for what I’ve been doing. I can beat all those guys. I think I’m the best in the world and I can win the Olympic gold if I make the team.”
(On what his strength is right now)
“I wrestle smarter now. I’m more physical with my hands. I’m just using what I’ve learned on the mat.”
(On how he prepares for the Trials)
“My mindset is to win, don’t give up anything. I know I can do it. I’ve been working out, practicing, and beating everyone in the room. I’m ready for that.”
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Doug Schwab, Iowa City, Iowa (Gator WC)
(On competing at this competitive weight)
“Everybody knows each other so well. I’ve wrestled him. Everybody has wrestled everybody in our weight so many times. It just comes down to the fact that you do it so well it doesn’t even matter.”
“I didn’t really set up my holds. I was hanging on the head a lot and blocking off instead of getting attacks. He was doing a good job of going for that high crotch, he’s good there. I felt like I missed some opportunities for go behinds, ones I really wasn’t very happy with. Like you said, I really don’t want it to go to a clinch, because it’s a flip of a coin. That’s not good enough odds for me.”
74 kg/163 lbs. - Ben Askren, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids)
(On his dream of doing this)
“You know I had a lot of things I wanted to do this year. I said this year I wanted to be tough. This year is for the Olympics. That’s all I do everyday, my life’s boring, but it paid off.”
(On whether he thought he should be number one)
“I felt like it. I beat Donny (Pritzlaff), I placed above Casey (Cunningham), I had great overseas tournaments. I’ve been number one since November and then all the sudden they come in and move me down to number three.”
(On being down in his second match)
“I know Ramico (Blackmon) can’t go three periods hard with me. I got a little over anxious in making him tired, but I knew if I made him tired in the first period it would pay off in the second and third. To win the first period really wasn’t necessary. I was expecting to go three.”
84 kg/185 lbs. - Mo Lawal, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
(On not getting respect before the event)
“Not disrespected, but I feel like people forgot about me. They tried to make a star out of some of these college kids. They forgot about me.”
(On having lost before)
“The thing is if me and Andy (Hrovat) are wrestling tomorrow he won’t be thinking about this last match because it’s a new match. Anything can happen.”
(On dropping back to 84 kg)
“I just decided to do it. I was kind of light and 84 is where it’s at, so I came back.”
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
(On staying at this weight)
“The thing that kept me at this weight is that it’s my weight class. I can’t wrestle heavyweight. I’m not tall enough. I’m too short. I’ve been successful when I have gone up but I don’t think I could wrestle it as well as 96 kg at a consistent basis.”
(On whether this is his last shot)
“I think when you start saying this is my last chance you almost set yourself up to fail. You set your expectations so high that you may not reach them. That can happen anytime, but I really don’t want to put a timetable on my career until I accomplish everything I need to accomplish in this sport.”
(On staying on top for so long)
“The keys are a good coaching staff, John Smith and Kevin Jackson. Good training partners, I had Tommy Rowlands in a couple weeks ago. Mo Lawal has been in Stillwater and he’s a national champ, Chris Pendleton, Tyrone Lewis, good training partners. I mean just being dedicated is important.”
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
(On the exchange with Steve Mocco)
“I don't have any hard feelings (about it). The hand fighting just got a little too physical. It was a real tough match."
(On the winning point)
“There was no controversy on the last point at all. The only controversy is that I need to wrestle better.”
(On what he needs to do better)
“My preparation was great for this tournament. I felt great out there. I didn’t execute the way I wanted to. I need to get my offense going and score more points. I was ready to go. I just need to compete better next time.”
(On his Olympic goal)
“I feel like I’m the best in America. If I wrestle my best, I can compete for a gold medal in the Olympics.”
Tickets now on sale for 2009 NCAA Wrestling Championships in St. Louis
St. Louis Sports Commission
03/22/2008
2009 NCAA Tournament Tickets are now available
ST. LOUIS – March 20, 2008 — Beginning today, fans can order tickets to next year’s NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis. Tickets may be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 314/241-1888 or 866/646-8849 (toll free).
Fans attending this year’s Championships in St. Louis can also purchase tickets at the Scottrade Center box office during the event.
Tickets to the 2009 Championships are sold as all-session packages, providing admission to the six sessions taking place during the three-day tournament, and start at only $60. Other mezzanine level seats are $90 and $120. Tickets in the plaza level are $150. All tickets are subject to Ticketmaster convenience charges and handling fees.
The 79th NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships take place at Scottrade Center March 19-21, 2009. The University of Missouri and the St. Louis Sports Commission serve as hosts for the event, which returns to the Gateway City for the fifth time in 10 years. The 2000 Championships in St. Louis boast the event’s all-time total attendance record of 96,944.
In addition to obtaining tickets, fans can also reserve hotel rooms for their stay in St. Louis. Hotel reservations can be made online at www.stlsports.org/wrestling or by calling the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission toll-free at 888/882-5569.
The 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships is one of 10 NCAA Division I championships taking place in St. Louis this decade. The region previously hosted the Wrestling Championships in 2000, 2004 and 2005; the Women’s Final Four in 2001; the Men’s Final Four in 2005; the Men’s Soccer College Cup in 2006; and the Men’s Frozen Four in 2007. In addition to the 2008 Wrestling Championships, which begin today, the region will also host the Women’s Final Four in 2009.
For more information on the 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships visit NCAA Wrestling Tournament.com
TheWrestlingTalk released major update to its community about 2 weeks ago. I waited to detail the update until most of the finishing touches were completed. Check out how TWT is revolutionizing how wrestlers communicate:
Personal Profiles: (Here's Mine) This isn't just a wrestler's Facebook/MySpace. Complete your recruiting profile and get noticed by college coaches, add your highlight video from TWT Videos. If you put yourself on YouTube, you can add those videos to your profile as well.
Social Groups / Free Team Sites: Create your own team site with a forum, ability to add photos, videos, and more. Use the social groups feature to promote a cause (Save X's Wrestling Team, Donate to X's recovery fund) or connect with people who have a niche interest you share.
Free Wrestling Blog: Keep track of your daily workout regimen or keep your fan base up to date on your latest wrestling tournament.
Photo Albums: Wrestling is not your only interest, show off what else you enjoy. An excellent way to get to know your forum mates!
TheWrestlingTalk released major update to its community about 2 weeks ago. I waited to detail the update until most of the finishing touches were completed. Check out how TWT is revolutionizing how wrestlers communicate:
Personal Profiles: (Here's Mine) This isn't just a wrestler's Facebook/MySpace. Complete your recruiting profile and get noticed by college coaches, add your highlight video from TWT Videos. If you put yourself on YouTube, you can add those videos to your profile as well.
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Four new national champions crowned in wild U.S. Freestyle Nationals finals; Azevedo pins Cejudo at 55 kg
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
04/26/2008
LAS VEGAS, NEV. - It was a night for newcomers, as four of the seven winners won a Senior national title for the first time at the 2008 Las Vegas/ASICS U.S. National Freestyle Championships at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Saturday night.
The first four weight classes were captured by first-time winners: Matt Azevedo (Pismo Beach, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Shawn Bunch (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Doug Schwab (Iowa City, Iowa/Gator WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Ben Askren (Columbia, Mo./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs.
Azevedo shocked two-time U.S. Nationals champion and top-seed Henry Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) with a second period pin, 1-0, 0:18. Azevedo won the first period, scoring a takedown from the clinch. Early in the second period, Azevedo blocked a front headlock attempt by Cejudo and caught him on his back, securing the pin. Azevedo was named Outstanding Wrestler based upon his performance.
“I expected to win. I knew I could win a National title and obviously this is just a stepping stone to get to the Olympic team. This is a big goal. This is a big deal for me to be a National champion,” said Azevedo.
Azevedo took advantage of a move by Cejudo which he felt may have been forced.
“I think when you lose the first period it definitely changes your mind frame,” said Azevedo. “You feel like you have to go out and get the guy. A lot of times I feel like that too. I think he maybe tried to force something that wasn’t there.”
Bunch defeated Oklahoma State NCAA champion Coleman Scott (Waynesburg, Pa./Gator WC) in two straight periods, 4-0, 1-0. Bunch scored a three-point front headlock in the first period along with another takedown, and scored the only takedown in the second period.
“I’ve been beating guys all the time. I felt like I didn’t get respect for what I’ve been doing. I can beat all those guys. I think I’m the best in the world and I can win the Olympic gold if I make the team,” said Bunch.
Schwab, who was fifth in the 2007 World Championships, scored a two-period victory over 2006 World Champion Bill Zadick (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC), 1-0, 3-0. Schwab won both periods by scoring takedowns from the clinch. In the first period, Zadick received one point for the takedown, and in the second period, he received three points for the exposure.
“Everybody knows each other so well. I’ve wrestled him. Everybody has wrestled everybody in our weight so many times. It just comes down to the fact that you do it so well it doesn’t even matter,” said Schwab.
Askren won in two straight periods, defeating 2006 World Team Trials runner-up Tyrone Lewis (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC), 3-0, 3-2. Askren won the first period with a three-point double leg takedown. In the second period, trailing 2-0, Askren scored a two-point exposure and a takedown for the victory.
“You know I had a lot of things I wanted to do this year. I said this year I wanted to be tough. This year is for the Olympics. That’s all I do everyday, my life’s boring, but it paid off,” said Askren.
Previous champions won the next three matches, with Mo Lawal (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) capturing his third U.S. Nationals title at 84 kg/185 lbs. and 2004 Olympian Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Sunkist Kids) winning his sixth career nationals title with a win at 96 kg/211.5 pounds and Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) winning his second straight national gold at 120 kg/264.5 pounds.
Lawal defeated 2006 World Team member Andy Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC), 1-1, 1-0. In the first period, Hrovat scored the first takedown, with Lawal taking the second takedown, winning the period on the tiebreaker of last point scored. In the second period, Lawal had the only takedown.
Cormier was dominant in his 7-0, 2-0 victory over Nik Fekete (Iowa City, Iowa/New York AC). In the first period technical fall, Cormier scored two takedowns for one point, a two-point gutwrench and a three-point front headlock. In the second period, Cormier added two more takedowns.
Lawal and Cormier met in the finals of the 2007 U.S. Nationals, with Cormier winning by 1-0, 1-0. Cormier also beat Lawal in the finals of the World Team Trials. This year, Lawal dropped back to 84 kg/185 lbs. and both were national champions. Both wrestlers attended Oklahoma State and are friends.
In a hotly contested heavyweight finals, Rowlands defeated Steve Mocco (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) , 3-0, 0-2, 1-0. The action was so intense that the wrestlers traded blows at the end of the second period.
Rowlands won the first period with a takedown with exposure from the clinch. Mocco had a takedown and a stepout for points in the second period. The only point in the final round was when Rowlands forced Mocco to step out on a hip toss during a scramble.
By winning the U.S. Nationals, three wrestlers qualified to advance directly to the best-of-three series at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. There are four criteria that a 2008 National champion must meet in order to skip straight into the final series. They are:
• Top 10 finish at the 2005, 2006 or 2007 Senior World Championships
• 2005 University World Games medalist
• 2005, 2006 or 2007 Junior World medalist
• Multiple-time U.S. World Team member
Based upon these criteria, advancing into the finals series are Schwab, Lawal and Rowlands. The other four champions will enter the Challenge Tournament portion of the tournament.
The top seven placewinners at each weight class qualified to compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Las Vegas, Nev., June 13-15.
U.S. NATIONAL FREESTYLE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Las Vegas, Nev., April 26
55 kg/121 lbs.
1st – Matt Azevedo, Pismo Beach, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) pin Henry Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 0:18
3rd - Danny Felix, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Nick Simmons, Williamstown, Mich. (Sunkist Kids), 2-1, 0-2, 3-0
5th - Vic Moreno, Palo Alto, Calif (Gator WC) dec. Grant Nakamura, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 5-0,6-2
7th - Adam Smith, State College, Pa. (New York AC) dec. Javier Maldonado, Kissimmee, Fla. (Sunkist Kids), 6-0, 1-0
60 kg/132 lbs.
1st – Shawn Bunch, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) dec. Coleman Scott, Waynesburg, Pa. (Gator WC), 4-0, 1-0
3rd - Teyon Ware, Oklahoma City, Okla. (New York AC) dec. Dylan Long, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 5-1, 1-0
5th - Michael Lightner, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) inj. dft. over Zach Roberson, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids),
7th - Drew Headlee, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Pittsburgh) dec. Franklin Gomez, Brandon, Fla. (Michigan WC), 3-2, 6-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
1st – Doug Schwab, Iowa City, Iowa (Gator WC) dec. Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 1-0, 3-0
3rd - Jared Frayer, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) dec. Chris Bono, Ringold, Ga. (Sunkist Kids), 1-0,5-1
5th - Brent Metcalf, Davison, Mich. (Gator WC) inj. dft. Zack Esposito, Stillwater, OK (Gator Wrestling Club),
7th - Trent Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) dec. Eric Larkin, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids), 0-1, 1-1, 2-1
74 kg/163 lbs.
1st – Ben Askren, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Tyrone Lewis, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC), 3-0, 3-2
3rd - Ryan Churella, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC) dec. Matt Lackey, Champaign, Ill. (New York AC), 5-2, 1-2, 3-0
5th - Ramico Blackmon, Colorado Springs Colo. (New York AC) dec. Travis Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 2-0
7th - Eric Luedke, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) dec. Casey Cunningham, Mt. Pleasant, Mich. (Sunkist Kids), 0-6,1-0,3-0
84 kg/185 lbs.
1st – Mo Lawal, Temecula, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Andy Hrovat, Ann Arbor Mich. (New York AC), 1-1, 1-0
3rd - Bryce Hasseman, Bloomsburg, Pa, (New York AC) inj. dft. Clint Wattenberg, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York Athletic Club),
5th - B J Padden, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) inj. dft. Matt Pell, Charlottesville, Va. (Cavalier WC),
7th - Jake Varner, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) dec. Tyrel Todd, , (New York AC), 2-0,7-1
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
1st – Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator Wrestling Club) dec. Nik Fekete, Iowa City Iowa (New York AC), 7-0,2-0
3rd - Willie Parks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Kurt Backes, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 0-1, 2-0, 1-0
5th - Damion Hahn, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York Athletic Club) dec. Max Askren, Hartland, Wis. (Sunkist Kids), 7-0, 3-0
7th - Nick Preston, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) dec. Konrad Dudziak, Bayonne, N.J. (New York AC), 1-0, 3-0
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
1st - Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) dec. Steve Mocco, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 3-0, 0-2, 1-0
3rd - Tervel Dlagnev, Kearney, Neb. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Tolly Thompson, Waterloo, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 0-1, 3-0
5th - Les Sigman, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Patrick Cummins, State College Pa. (New York AC), 2-0,2-0
7th - Scott Steele, Baltimore, Md. (Navy Mat Club) dec. Dom Bradley, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids), 0-1, 1-0, 1-1
Div. I Team champion – Sunkist Kids, 109 pts.
Div. I Team runner-up – New York AC, pts.
Div. II Team champions – Gator WC, 62 pts.
USAW, LSV, and FloWrestling all provided wrestling videos for the event.
Hard-charging Schwab advances to freestyle finals at U.S. Nationals
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
04/26/2008
LAS VEGAS – Doug Schwab proved he belonged on the United States World Team in freestyle wrestling last year.
A surprise winner at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials in Las Vegas, Schwab placed fifth in his first trip to the World Championships and qualified the United States for the Olympics at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
But Schwab still has his share of doubters and detractors – many of whom feel Schwab turned in the tournament of his life and couldn’t repeat his feat again this year.
The top-seeded Schwab took a big step toward proving many of them wrong by advancing to the finals of the U.S. Nationals on Saturday afternoon at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
A win over 2006 World champion Bill Zadick in Saturday night’s finals would send Schwab into the best-of-3 finals series at June’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
“I’m sure there were a lot of guys here hoping they would draw me, and that’s fine,” Schwab said. “A lot of people just think I had one good tournament. I want to show them I can consistently beat these guys because I know I can.”
Upsets occurred early and often on Saturday morning as No. 1 seeds Casey Cunningham (74 kg/163 lbs.) and Joe Williams (84 kg/185 lbs.) both dropped first-round matches.
Schwab outlasted No. 5 seed Jared Frayer 4-3, 2-3, 1-0 in the semifinals. The third period was scoreless after two minutes and came down to the leg clinch. Schwab won the coin flip and quickly finished with Frayer’s leg to pull out the win.
“He’s a dangerous wrestler and he caught me in the second period with an arm spin,” Schwab said. “I shouldn’t have let it come down to the clinch in the third period. I need to stay on the attack more and not let that happen.”
It will be an interesting battle in the finals, matching a pair of past NCAA wrestling champions for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Zadick, 35, made his second World Team in 2006 and won a World title in Guangzhou, China. Schwab, 30, followed by making his first World Team in 2007 before turning in a top-five finish in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Schwab is coached by Iowa head coach Tom Brands, a past Olympic and World champion. Zadick is coached by U.S. Freestyle Resident Coach Terry Brands, Tom’s twin brother who was a two-time World champion.
“That’s great,” Schwab said when informed Zadick had reached the finals. “It will be a great opportunity for me to wrestle a World champion. Bill’s a tough competitor. I’m looking forward to it.”
Schwab, an assistant coach at the University of Iowa, has made noticeable gains since making the World Team last year. He won a bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before turning in a strong performance at the World Championships.
“I’m so much better than I was last year,” Schwab said. “Obviously, everything I went through after making the World Team made me a much better wrestler. I’m really excited to see what I can do this year. I gained a lot of experience and confidence. I know I can wrestle with anybody right now.”
Unseeded Eric Luedke, a past All-American for the Iowa Hawkeyes, knocked off Cunningham 0-3, 4-4, 4-2 in the opening round. Cunningham placed second at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials.
The top-seeded Williams, a two-time World bronze medalist, suffered a stunning early loss when he fell to unseeded B.J. Padden in the first round. Padden shot in on a duck-under maneuver and finished with a double-leg takedown with four seconds left to earn the 0-1, 3-0, 2-2 win.
Another early upset occurred at 74 kg/163 lbs. when Ryan Churella knocked off 2006 World bronze medalist and No. 2 seed Donny Pritzlaff in the quarterfinals.
Three other members of the 2007 U.S. World Team reached the finals Saturday. That group includes World bronze medalist Daniel Cormier (96 kg/211.5 lbs.) along with World Team members Henry Cejudo (55 kg/121 lbs.) and Tommy Rowlands (120 kg/264.5 lbs.).
Mike Zadick and Nate Gallick, ranked 1-2 at 60 kg/132 lbs., are not competing this weekend. Zadick wrestled in an Olympic qualification tournament last weekend in Switzerland and Gallick is scheduled to compete in the final Olympic qualifier for freestyle next weekend in Poland.
Gallick needs to place in the top three to qualify the U.S. for the Olympics at 60 kilos.
U.S. NATIONALS FREESTYLE FINALISTS
55 kg/121 lbs. – Henry Cejudo (Sunkist Kids) vs. Matt Azevedo (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Coleman Scott (Gator WC) vs. Shawn Bunch (Gator WC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Doug Schwab (Gator WC) vs. Bill Zadick (Gator WC)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Tyrone Lewis (Gator WC) vs. Ben Askren (Sunkist Kids)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Andy Hrovat (New York AC) vs. Mo Lawal (Sunkist Kids)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Daniel Cormier (Gator WC) vs. Nik Fekete (New York AC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tommy Rowlands (Sunkist Kids) vs. Steve Mocco (New York AC)