Quick, always aggressive and possessing an outstanding leg attack, John Fisher (1985, ‘87-89) was a dominant force in the Wolverine wrestling room — and on the national scene — through the latter half of the decade. He remains among Michigan’s most decorated wrestlers, listing as one of only five four-time NCAA All-Americans in program history and one of eight three-time Big Ten champions. Boasting a career record of 183-21, Fisher still holds the U-M school record for all-time wins, a mark that will likely remain untouched for a long time.

Upon his graduation from Michigan, Fisher embarked on a long, successful international career as one of the country’s top freestyle wrestlers. He was crowned a U.S. champion in 1992, won a World Cup title five years later, and twice served as an Olympic alternate. Now retired from competitive wrestling, Fisher teaches in Ann Arbor, where he lives with his wife, Millie, and son, John II.

With the Wolverine wrestlers preparing for a big test at the National Duals, John took a moment before an afternoon workout to chat about his most memorable match, his recent induction in the Michigan Wrestling Association Hall of Fame, and the life lessons he learned from wrestling at Michigan.

Fists Flying is a mixed martial arts inspiration and information site. I think it’s a new site as there isn’t a lot going on right now. However they do have links to videos, book review and a fighter directory. Keep an eye on the site as I think it’ll be a nice one once they get more content.

Over his 21 years at the helm of the Michigan wrestling program (1978-99), former head coach Dale Bahr made numerous contributions to the longstanding tradition and continued growth of Wolverine wrestling. Bahr accumulated a career record of 221-119-6 and ranks second only to the legendary Cliff Keen among Michigan’s career wins leaders. Bahr coached two NCAA individual champions, 43 All-Americans and 13 Big Ten champions. Among his standout athletes are three members of Michigan’s current coaching staff: Joe McFarland, Kirk Trost and Mike Kulczycki.

Under the tutelage of former Wolverine standout and coaching legend Harold Nichols (”Nick”) at Iowa State, Bahr was an NCAA champion and three-time All-American, placing among the top three at 145 pounds each year and finally capturing the title as a senior in 1968. He took over Michigan’s head coaching role in 1978 and remained at the helm of the Wolverine program through the 1998-99 season before retiring from coaching and taking an administrative position as an assistant athletic director charged with overseeing nine sports and the U-M summer camps.

Just a day after his return from an Iowa State wrestling reunion, Dale leaned back in his office chair and chatted about his coaching development, the agony of being a spectator and how wrestling has changed over the last four decades.

It’s the fifth time in coach J Robinson’s career the Gophers won 20 dual meets.
By Tyler Rushmeyer

What was expected to be a challenging weekend for the Minnesota wrestling team became just another three-day span of utter supremacy as the Gophers picked up a Big Ten title in the process.

Minnesota wrapped up the successful weekend by silencing over 8,000 Iowa Hawkeyes fans with a compelling 29-13 victory Sunday and making the rest of the conference very nervous as the Big Ten tournament approaches.

With the win, the Gophers (20-1) closed out the regular season on a 20 dual-meet win streak, the third longest streak in school history. They also finished a perfect 8-0 record in the conference, the first time since 2002 when Minnesota went on to win the NCAA Championship.

Junior Mack Reiter, an Iowa native, said it felt good to push around an old rival in its house.

“It’s a good message to send heading into the postseason,” he said. “Looking at our dual scores, everybody in the nation knows who the top team is.”

By Leah Howard, U-M Athletic Media Relations

“I believe that wrestling plays a highly educational part in the development of a boy. The fundamental that every successful wrestler must acquire, and which has great carryover value after his student days, is self-discipline. From self-discipline stems self-confidence and belief in one’s self. What greater lesson can a sport or a coach impart?”

For 42 years, young men came to the University of Michigan to learn about life and wrestle at the collegiate level, and from 1925-70 there was one constant in the U-M wrestling program: head coach Cliff Keen. His 42-year career continues to stand as the record for longest tenure by a college wrestling coach, and it is among the longest careers by a coach in any sport in the history of the NCAA.

During his tenure at the helm of the Wolverine wrestling program, Keen’s squads posted a record of 272 wins, 91 losses and 10 ties. His Michigan teams won 12 Big Ten Conference championships and finished among the conference’s top three in all but five seasons during his run. Keen coached 11 NCAA individual champions, 68 All-Americans and 81 Big Ten champions, and he led his Wolverines to 24 top-10 NCAA finishes, including back-to-back runner-up showings in 1928 and 1929.

By Leah Howard & Josh Churella

On a chilly February day in the heart of the Big Ten Conference dual season, U-M wrestling junior captain Josh Churella supplied a peek into a typical day in the life of this student-athlete. With a near-perfect record since climbing to 149 pounds this season, Churella has elevated himself to the nation’s elite tier at the individual weight class, and in March he plans to end the season atop the podium at the NCAA Championships in front of a hometown crowd at the Palace of Aubun Hills.

7 a.m. – Alarm goes off.

7:30 a.m. – After a quick shower, Churella fixes himself his usual breakfast of egg whites, two pieces of whole wheat toast, orange juice, Gatorade and water. For the last two years, he has eaten the same thing every morning. It’s simple, it’s good, and it gets his day going.

At this early hour, Churella will be the only one awake in his house. Regarding family as life’s most important facet, he has stayed close to his, living off campus with brothers Ryan and Mark since arriving at U-M. After four years together, however, Mark will be moving out in the spring, and Josh has plans to convert that vacancy into a weight room.

HISTORY LESSON: SNIP NALAN
Michigan’s Diminutive Superstar

By Leah Howard, U-M Athletic Media Relations

A man of diminutive stature, standing only 5-5 and weighing little more than his 130-pound weight class, Norvard Nalan resembled what many considered to be “just a little snip.” Despite intitial appearances, “Snip” Nalan would prove a man of oversized heart, character and talent, and as Michigan wrestling’s first multiple NCAA champion, the first of only eight to claim three Big Ten individual titles and a two-time captain, he will forever be remembered among the university’s greatest Michigan men.

A native of Mason City, Iowa, Nalan was a valuable member of his high school’s back-to-back state championship teams in 1949 and 1950 — the only two years that Mason City was ever crowned state wrestling champions in Iowa. Nalan was a two-time state finalist, losing to Davenport’s Gene Piersall at 105 as a junior and again as a senior at 115 pounds.

He imagined himself wrestling for Dave McCuskey at nearby Iowa State Teachers College — the TC had just captured the NCAA team championship in 1950 — but McCuskey instead gave the only scholarship he had available to another boy on the same recruiting trip. Nalan looked at the coach and said, “You’re making a mistake. I’ll beat that guy every time we meet and prove I’m a better wrestler.” His words would prove prophetic.

By Jennifer Jentz
William Penn University

Darren Cotton will tell you that back in high school he could have been described as “some weird wrestler guy.” That is not the case anymore. Nowadays, Cotton is one of the most recognized faces on the William Penn campus with his southern charm and outgoing personality.

Cotton is a senior majoring in communications with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in business management. At Penn, he is involved in University Fishing Organization (UFO), Delta Beta Phi fraternity, InterVarsity, wrestling, intramurals and the Communications Club.

He was recruited by Head Wrestling Coach Gary Garvis to come to Penn on a wrestling scholarship and has proven his weight in gold as a letterwinner holding the school records for career wins at 118 and season wins at 41. Cotton has also been named as an All-American three times and won the NAIA Champions of Character in 2006.

Cotton’s many accomplishments are something he can be proud of for a long time and he credits Garvis for the opportunities he has had here.

“A lot came from my first conversation with Garvis and if I had known back then what I would accomplish, I probably would have been too scared to accomplish it,” Cotton said.

Regional, section and state tournament action is heating up at the high school level. With that in mind, it’s time for coaches – and fans – to remember while winning is important, proper sportsmanship is a key component of a successful coach, wrestler or team.

By Jeremy O’Kasick — TWM Freelance Writer

Earlier this season at a high school dual meet, I witnessed something that should have brought shame to everyone in the crowd. A head coach hovered over one of his wrestlers screaming, absolutely irate.

The young athlete had dropped a close decision in a highly competitive team contest. Even while the next wrestler hustled onto the mat and strapped on his ankle band, the coach continued to holler and flap his jowls in a fit, making his 130-pound wrestler looked distressed – almost in a panic.

“Jeez, he’s going a little overboard, don’t you think?” remarked a nearby fan.

“You should have seen him last match,” replied another. “He made another kid cry.”

Stars are ready to shine

Here’s a look at the top wrestling talent in town

BILL POEHLER
Statesman Journal

Mark Cinquini Wrestles Jess Cruise Hosted on Zooomr

With more than 1,000 wrestlers competing in the OSAA state wrestling championships this weekend at the Oregon State Fairground, these are ones to keep your eyes on:

- Roseburg junior Mitchell Lofstedt. A former state champion who’s seeded No. 1 at 112 pounds for the Indians.

- Sprague sophomore R.J. Peña. A defending state champion, he’s ranked No. 1 in the nation at 125 pounds for a good reason.

- Redmond senior Austin Enoch. He goes for his third state championship this weekend and is seeded No. 1 in Class 6A at 140 pounds.

- Sprague senior Mark Cinquini. A two-time state semifinalist, he placed second as a sophomore, but was injured in the semifinals last year. He’s seeded No. 1 at 160 pounds.

- Newberg sophomore Alex Ortiz. As a freshman at Willamina, he won the state championship at 171 pounds. Ortiz is back down to 145 pounds and is the No. 1 seed in 6A.