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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 Friday, October 27.
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In the U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania, Kennedy Blades and Audrey Jimenez from the United States earned silver medals in women's freestyle wrestling. Blades dominated her initial matches but lost 9-2 in the finals against UWW's Reetika in the 76 kg category. Jimenez, competing in the 50 kg category, withdrew from her finals match due to injury but still secured a silver medal.
Amit Elor, another U.S. wrestler, advanced to the finals in the 72 kg category, pinning her first two opponents. She will face Jyoti Berwal in the finals, aiming for another U23 championship. Meanwhile, Macey Kilty will compete for a bronze medal in the 65 kg category after a strong start but a narrow 5-4 loss in the semifinals against Irina Ringaci.
Xochitl Mota-Pettis is also in the hunt for a bronze medal in the 57 kg category, thanks to her first-round opponent advancing to the finals. The U.S. Greco-Roman team will begin their competition on Friday, featuring wrestlers like Phillip Moomey and Robert Perez III.
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Carter Starocci has announced his return to Penn State for the 2023-24 wrestling season, aiming to become the Nittany Lions' first four-time NCAA champion. Starocci, who recently won his third NCAA title at 174 pounds, also hinted at a potential Olympic run in the 2024 Summer Games. He has the nation's longest active winning streak with 52 straight bouts and is Penn State's sixth three-time champion.
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The University of Oklahoma announced that its wrestling program will remain in the Big 12 Conference as an affiliate member, even as the university transitions to the Southeastern Conference in 2024. The decision followed a vote by the Big 12's governance group, which includes university presidents and athletic directors. Oklahoma's wrestling program has a storied history, with seven national championships and 24 conference titles, including three in the Big 12 era.
Starting July 1, 2024, the Big 12 wrestling membership will feature legacy programs like Iowa State and Oklahoma State, as well as affiliate programs such as Air Force and Missouri. Arizona State will also join as a newcomer in 2024.
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Iowa wrestling is gearing up for its season debut on November 4 against California Baptist, amid a turbulent offseason and pending NCAA decisions on sports-wagering penalties. Hawkeye coach Tom Brands praised the NCAA for its deliberative approach and emphasized that the athletes facing suspensions have been accountable. The vote on sports-wagering penalties is set for November 8, and Brands is hopeful for a decision that “fits the crime.”
Abe Assad and Nelson Brands are currently facing NCAA suspensions related to sports gambling and are likely to miss the season's first dual. Both athletes have criticized the NCAA and are awaiting the Division I Council's vote. While other Iowa wrestlers are also believed to be facing suspensions, Assad and Nelson Brands are the only ones to have spoken publicly about the issue.
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The National Wrestling Coaches Association has released its NCAA Women's Wrestling Preseason Coaches' Poll, with defending national champion North Central College leading the pack. North Central tops the preseason rankings for the second consecutive year, boasting 128 points and 13 ranked individuals, including seven who are ranked No. 1. They are followed by 2022 runner-up King University, which has 67 points and 10 ranked individuals.
McKendree is in third place with 60 points and nine ranked wrestlers, while Colorado Mesa is fourth with 51 points and eight ranked individuals. Sacred Heart and Gannon round out the top six, with 29 and undisclosed points respectively, each having four ranked individuals. East Stroudsburg, Lock Haven University, and the University of Iowa are also in the top 10, along with Adrian College.
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Menlo College leads the NAIA Women's Wrestling Preseason Top 20, followed by Life University, Grand View, William Penn, and Providence to kick off the 2023-24 women's wrestling season. Reigning national champion Southern Oregon starts the new season ranked sixth. The rankings were determined by a panel of head coaches from each of the five conferences, using a point system based on individual rankings in each weight class.
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To hear more about the NAIA women’s division, check out the latest Short Time Wrestling Podcast, which has the full media day from the Kansas Intercollegiate Athletics Conference.
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The full breakdown of the day’s wrestling news can be delivered to your inbox daily, courtesy of Mat Talk Online’s Daily Wrestling Newsletter, delivered by Resilite. Sign up free at mattalkonline.com/news
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Yup, still a bot. I said a name wrong the other day, but then again, he’s from Minnesota, so of course it might have sounded weird. So my bad, Matt Muleners.
