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It's SHORT TIME SHOTS … a quick look at the day's top wrestling stories. Here’s the good stuff for Wednesday, October 25.
In Albania at the U23 World Championships, the United States has secured more than one U23 World Champion in men's freestyle wrestling for the first time. Keegan O'Toole, Aaron Brooks, and Wyatt Hendrickson came away with gold medals for Team USA.
O'Toole, a two-time age-group World Champion, defeated Imam Ganishov in the finals at 74 kg. Brooks dominated his finals match at 86 kg, winning by a 10-0 technical fall. Hendrickson bested Adil Misirci of Turkiye in the finals at 125 kg, securing a 13-3 technical fall. Additionally, Jacob Cardenas won a bronze medal, making the United States four-for-four in medal matches.
The second group of men's freestyle athletes also had a strong showing. Isaac Trumble advanced to the finals at 97 kg, Doug Zapf earned a spot in the bronze medal match, and both Cooper Flynn and Brock Hardy are in repechage. Trumble will face Radu Lefter of Moldova in the finals, while Zapf will wrestle for a bronze medal after going 3-1 on the day.
The United States begins women’s freestyle action in Albania on Wednesday. The first five weights to be contested are 50, 55, 59, 68 and 76 kilograms. Action begins with repechage for men’s freestyle and qualification rounds for women’s freestyle.
The Division II Coaches Association has announced the induction of seven new members into the Jim Cook Division II Hall of Fame as part of its 2024 class.
The inductees include John Davis, Donovan McMahill, Matt Meuleners, Mario Morgan, Josh Shields, Roger Singleton, and William Smith.
These athletes collectively boast an impressive record, including 10 Division II National Championships, 17 trips to the NCAA Division II National Finals, and 24 total NCAA Division II All-American finishes. The induction ceremony will take place on July 26 at the Sawgrass Marriott, as part of the 2024 NWCA Convention festivities.
Among the inductees, John Davis was a four-time All-American and two-time Division 2 national champion from Morgan State. Donovan McMahill, a two-time national champion, ended his career on a 51-match winning streak for Western Colorado.
Matt Meuleners holds the record for most career wins at Northern State and was a two-time national champion.
Mario Morgan was a three-time All-American and national champion for Nebraska-Omaha.
Josh Shields was the first Mercyhurst student-athlete to win an NCAA Division 2 individual national championship. Roger Singleton was a three-time All-American for Grand Valley State and won the 1989 NCAA Division 2 National Championship.
Finally, William Smith was the first wrestler from a Historically Black College or University to win an NCAA Division-II championship and was a four-time Division-II All-American.
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In the ever-evolving landscape of college wrestling, a new generation of athletes is stepping up to fill the shoes of graduating stars. For instance, Princeton's Marc-Anthony McGowan is set to replace Patrick Glory, the program's first national champion in 70 years. At Arizona State, Richie Figueroa is taking over from multiple-time All-American Brandon Courtney, and at Iowa, Drake Ayala is stepping in for the legendary Spencer Lee.
The transitions are not just about matching the technical skills of their predecessors; these new athletes also have to emulate the leadership and production levels that made the outgoing seniors invaluable to their respective teams. Get a look at some of the top guys ready to step up in Earl Smith’s feature on InterMat.
Mohamed Abdellatif continues his medal-winning streak at the World Combat Games, leading Egypt to a golden hat-trick in Greco-Roman wrestling. On the collegiate front, Hofstra University announces its team captains, while Rutgers wrestling aims to set the tone for their season with upcoming matches against Duke and Cal Poly. Meanwhile, the Girls High School division of the Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals is set to feature 72 nationally ranked stars, making it a key early-season tournament.
Finally from The Daily Iowan, three Iowa-born wrestlers are excited to represent their home state on the Hawkeye women's wrestling squad, aiming to maintain the “Iowa style” in the wrestling room. Over at the Big 12, the focus shifts from ranking top wrestlers to ranking the strength of each weight class, adding a new layer of intrigue and discussion to the season.
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