Augsburg College has been one of the most successful wrestling programs on the Division III level. Now the school will be at the center of wrestling promotion as KAUG, the student-run campus radio station, will be the host studio for Wrestling 411’s twice weekly radio program beginning November 11.

Wrestling 411, the brand operating under the wrestling marketing and promotions company Media Sports Production, is launching its first full season of its made for television wrestling highlights show. The made for television show, Wrestling 411, will be complimented by a timely twice weekly show airing on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the season.

“We’re excited about having KAUG as our studio host,” said Jason Bryant, Production Manager and Writer for the Wrestling 411 television show. “KAUG offers the flexibility we desire and the ability to stream and archive our shows for a nationwide audience. We also felt Augsburg was a natural fit because the school’s strong presence within the sport of wrestling. It just makes perfect sense.”

Tom Brands, the head coach of the defending Division I NCAA team champion Iowa Hawkeyes, will be the show’s first guest on Nov. 11.

Terry Brands to leave USA Wrestling to accept assistant wrestling coach position with the Univ. of Iowa
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling

USA Wrestling’s Assistant National Freestyle Coach and Head Resident Coach Terry Brands has notified USA Wrestling that he accepted a position as assistant wrestling coach with the University of Iowa today.

Brands will remain with USA Wrestling through October 31 before officially assuming his new job. Brands will coach a group of U.S. freestyle wrestlers on a tour to Yakutsk, Russia next week.

“USA Wrestling is grateful to Terry and Michelle Brands for their contributions and service to USA Wrestling,” said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. “I wish them the best of luck in all of their future endeavors.”

Brands, a two-time World champion freestyle wrestler and 2000 Olympic bronze medalist, joined the USA Wrestling national staff in April 2005. He has coached the resident freestyle athletes at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, including 2006 World Champion Bill Zadick and 2008 Olympic Champion Henry Cejudo. Brands has served on the coaching staff for the U.S. teams that have competed at the last three World Championships as well as the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

Jones accepts position as U.S. freestyle head coach

University of Pennsylania Sports Information

PHILADELPHIA — The University of Pennsylvania’s head wrestling coach Zeke Jones has announced his resignation to accept a position as the head coach of the United States freestyle national team.

With Jones’ resignation, Penn has also announced that assistant coach Rob Eiter has been appointed interim head coach of the program.

“Penn has been a tremendous place for me and my family,” Jones said. “It has been a great place to work and live. Penn is one of the best places for a student-athlete to achieve success academically and athletically and working with men as gifted as the ones at Penn has been a blessing.”

“This is a great opportunity for Zeke and we wish him the best with U.S.A. Wrestling,” Penn’s Director of Athletics Steve Bilsky said. “At the same time, we feel very fortunate to have someone with Rob’s ability and credentials to step up to the head coaching position.”

Penn begins its 2008-09 wrestling season on November 22 with a pair of dual matches against Princeton (noon) and Michigan (2 p.m.) at The Palestra.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -Two Nebraska wrestlers, including one who won an NCAA championship in 2007, have been dismissed from the team after posing naked for videos and photographs on an Internet pornography site.

Paul Donahoe and Kenny Jordan were let go Tuesday, three days after a blog posted images of them taken from Fratmentv.com, a Web site featuring naked or partially clothed male athletes.

“The history of behavior of these men, including the current matter, does not reflect the standard of excellence we aspire to on and off the mat,” coach Mark Manning said in a statement. “We have outstanding student-athletes in our program and we will move forward in a positive manner toward our goals.

“I want to personally apologize for any embarrassment that may have been caused for our athletic department, the university and our fans.”

Manning didn’t address the nature of the wrestlers’ past transgressions, and didn’t immediately return a message left on his cell phone seeking comment.

Donahoe did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment. The Associated Press has requested interviews with the men through the athletic department. Personal phone numbers couldn’t be found.

By ALAN ROBINSON, AP Sports Writer

BEIJING (AP)—The Olympic wrestling mat is red, yellow and blue, dynamic colors designed to give the athletes a vivid backdrop for their talents. It’s that gray area outside the wrestling circle that discolors what its governing body proudly calls the world’s oldest sport.

Some in the sport say it’s one of the shadiest, too.

Backroom politicking, bribery, corruption, outlandish officiating, even threats of violence are routinely alleged in a sport that is little followed in most countries but, when noticed, seems to have as many bizarre story lines as WWE-style entertainment wrestling.

And when it happens at the Olympics, many unfamiliar with the sport are left wondering what in the world goes on in wrestling.

The most recent allegations came last month, when livid Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian walked off the medals podium and dropped his unwanted bronze medal for Greco-Roman 84 kilograms on the mat. Abrahamian blew up when a disputed penalty call wound up deciding his semifinal match against Italian Andrea Minguzzi, who went on to win the gold medal.

“I think the semifinals shows that FILA does not play fair,” Abrahamian said, referring to wrestling’s international governing body. “I don’t deserve to lose. The system is corrupt.”

Cleveland State: Ben Stehura Named CSU Wrestling Coach
Ben Stehura, a graduate assistant at Cleveland State from 2001-03, is returning to the Viking program as the head wrestling coach. Director of Athletics Lee Reed made the announcement on Friday (Aug. 22) morning.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ben Stehura, a graduate assistant at Cleveland State from 2001-03, is returning to the Viking program as the head wrestling coach. Director of Athletics Lee Reed made the announcement on Friday (Aug. 22) morning.

“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to return to Cleveland State and Northeast Ohio and become part of a great tradition that is CSU wrestling,” Stehura said. “I have a tremendous amount of pride in the wrestling program and I want to do everything I can to continue the success that the program has enjoyed.

“I am looking forward to working with a tremendous group of student-athletes, coaches and administrators and helping to write the next chapter in Cleveland State history.”

“I am thrilled about the addition of Ben as our head wrestling coach,” Reed said. “Ben really impressed us with his work ethic, his knowledge of wrestling and his committment to the overall well-being of the student-athletes.

By Jeff Beshey

A few weeks after the Sydney Games were over I sat down with Olympic Bronze Medalist and University of Minnesota heavyweight Garrett Lowney. Although the 21 year old Lowney has been a student/athlete at the U of MN for two years, he still has four years of college eligibility left and has yet to step on the mat as a Gopher. I asked him about his Olympic experience and what he expects as a college wrestler.

What are some of the ways your life has changed since winning the Olympic bronze medal?
Overall my life really hasn’t changed. I’m a student again going through all the same things everyone else goes through. I’ll soon be back with the team just like always. There are a few different things like signing autographs, going to speak with people and getting noticed every once in a while, which is a little different for me, but overall my life really hasn’t changed that much.

When did being an Olympian become your goal?
My mom says that I told her when I first started wresting, at five or six years old, that I wanted to be in the Olympics. I don’t really remember that, but she swears by it. I do remember watching wrestling as a very young kid and dreaming about being there.

The Associated Press

BEIJING: It turns out that the Greco-Roman wrestler who was stripped of his bronze medal for dropping it in disgust on the mat had reason for being angry, according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Ara Abrahamian of Sweden complained to CAS that a penalty in the second round of his 84-kilogram bout on Aug. 14 against Italian Andrea Minguzzi wasn’t assessed until after the round ended. Once factored in, Abrahamian automatically lost the match. Minguzzi went on to win the gold medal.

Abrahamian’s coach was then denied a request for a video review, then the wrestling federation — the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, or FILA — refused to consider a protest.

The 28-year-old Abrahamian had to be restrained from going after matside officials following his loss to Minguzzi. He stormed away from the area where interviews are conducted and slammed a door to the dressing rooms.

“I believe there are people out there that just have a warrior spirit, whether it’s fighting or something, they’ve got to do it. It’s hard to identify with me; it’s just something I do.”
—Evan Tanner, 2005

On what will unquestionably be remembered as one of mixed martial arts’ saddest days, former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner - beloved by fans for his fighting ability and by friends for his free spirit – has passed away at the age of 37.

Tanner, on a camping trip in the Palo Verde mountain area, was found by an Imperial County Sheriff’s Department Deputy on Monday. The cause of death is not known at this time. He had not answered friends’ text messages since last Wednesday, and was officially reported missing on Friday.

Wrestling coach Jackson calls for program ‘overhaul’

After winning wrestling gold for the USA in his first Olympics in 2000, Brandon Slay left the sport and now is in real estate in Dallas. Cael Sanderson won the Olympics in his first try in 2004, retired from the mat and now coaches at Iowa State.This week, Russia’s Bouvaisa Saitiev won his third Olympic wrestling gold and Mavlet Batirov won his second.

“Our Olympic champions, Brandon Slay, Cael Sanderson, one (Olympic) cycle in them. … That’s not conducive to beating guys who are on this circuit continuously,” U.S. national freestyle coach Kevin Jackson said after a disappointing finish by his squad.

Seven U.S. freestyle wrestlers combined for one medal, albeit a gold by Henry Cejudo.

Daniel Cormier, the only team member who had been to the Olympics before, didn’t wrestle Thursday after being hospitalized because of dehydration from weight cutting.
U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers won a bronze, as did the women’s freestyle team.

“We’ve got to make an overhaul of our whole system. We have to allow our guys to be able to compete in two or three cycles,” Jackson said.