As a number of athletic departments prepare to cut some men’s teams to trim budgets, NCAA president Myles Brand has put out a call for schools to leave Title IX out of it. He has pre-emptively asked schools with shrinking athletic programs to blame the economic downturn for their problems—and not the federal law that bans sex discrimination at schools and requires institutions to maintain a commitment to women’s sports, USA Today reports.

“My expectation is that over the next year or two we are going to see more” cuts of men’s teams, Brand said this week in a telephone interview, “and so I am trying, frankly, to pre-empt the argument against Title IX, an unfair argument, I believe, and dissuade universities from going public with this approach.”

Brand mentioned James Madison and Rutgers , schools that cut teams in 2006-07, and Delaware , where cuts have been discussed, as examples.

“I think they need to be honest about it. Any cuts at this point in sports are certainly going to be tied to financial pressures,” said Brand, who urged schools not to drop any teams, men’s or women’s.

University of Minnesota Sports Information

University of Minnesota sophomore Joe Nord was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week today following an upset victory over Nebraska’s No. 12 Tucker Lane this weekend. Nord defeated Lane with a 6-2 decision in heavyweight bout of the Gophers’ 21-18 loss to No. 3 Nebraska on Sunday afternoon in Lincoln, Neb.

Nord rallied from a 1-0 deficit with a reversal in the opening seconds of the third period. A nearfall later in the final stanza helped the sophomore to gain the 6-2 victory. With the win, Nord improves his record to 8-2 this season. The Waconia, Minn. native has been splitting time with 18th-ranked teammate Ben Berhow at the heavyweight slot for the Gophers this season.

This week’s laurel marks the second time this season a Gopher has earned the weekly accolade. Mike Thorn was named the conference’s Wrestler of the Week on Nov. 25.

Nord and the Gophers open their home schedule when they welcome perennial power Oklahoma State to the Sports Pavilion on New Year’s Day. Tickets still remain for Minnesota’s 2:00 pm. dual with the No. 13 Cowboys and can be purchased by calling 1-800-U-GOPHER or by contacting the Gopher Ticket Office at 612-624-8080.

Oklahoma State University Sports Information

STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State junior 285-pounder Jared Rosholt was recognized as the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week, the conference office announced today.

Rosholt continues to dominate the opposition in 2008-09, as he ran his season record to 17-0 on the year after pinning Cal Poly’s Kelan Bragg in 1:38 as part of a dual meet last Tuesday, then followed that up by toppling two ranked opponents on the way to winning the heavyweight title at the Reno Tournament of Champions last Thursday. The consensus No. 1 wrestler in the nation in his weight class, Rosholt beat No. 7 Mitch Monteiro of Cal State Bakersfield by a 13-5 major decision before handing No. 15 Konrad Dudziak of Duke a 5-4 defeat in the Reno title bout. When his 8-4 win over No. 3 Kyle Massey of Wisconsin at the NWCA All-Star Classic is added, Rosholt is a perfect 4-0 vs. ranked opponents this year, including a 3-0 mark vs. opponents ranked among the top seven in the nation.

Dave Meltzer has the scoop from Yahoo! Sports

Henry Cejudo, the only American to capture a gold medal in wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, recently negotiated with Japanese promoters for a match on that country’s biggest event of the year, the annual New Year’s Eve event on network television that has become almost a cultural institution.

Promoters wanted to throw Cejudo, 21, into the deep end, as they wanted him to face Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto, Japan’s most popular MMA fighter. The match would have a storyline where Yamamoto would be fighting for national pride, since Cejudo defeated a fellow Japanese wrestler, Tomohiro Matsunaga, in the gold medal match in the 121-pound weight class.

However, Yamamoto, coming off knee surgery, at this point doesn’t look like he’ll be ready.

Rick Bassman, who represents Cejudo, said talks are still ongoing but with Yamamoto out, it makes it less likely Cejudo would be brought in to debut on such a high profile show.

original date 12/18

Edinboro wrestles today at the Reno Tournament of Champions.

It could be the Scots’ last competition this season without Paul Donahoe.

Donahoe, a former NCAA champion at Nebraska, is expected to join the team for the Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, N.C., on Dec. 29-30, coach Tim Flynn said Wednesday.

Flynn said Donahoe has been reinstated by the NCAA after he was dismissed by the Cornhuskers for posing nude on an Internet site. He sat out the fall semester while regaining his eligibility.

Donahoe won the 125-pound national title in 2007 and was third last year.

“Whenever you get a guy who every dual meet you feel like he can get you bonus points and every tournament you feel like he can get to the finals, that’s a pretty good feeling,” Flynn said by phone from Reno, Nev., where Edinboro competes in a 27-team field today.

“It’s good for the team because they will be able to see how hard he competes. He does the right things, from training to warm-ups to competing on the mat.”

By Andy Boogaard / The Fresno Bee

Steve and Adam Tirapelle, a father-son combination who directed Clovis High to the state wrestling championship last season, have been suspended from coaching for the remainder of the season by the Clovis Unified School District.

“The suspension was the result of findings after a multiple-month investigation following allegations of violations of district policies and coaches code of ethics,” district spokesperson Kelly Avants said.

She said the investigation was conducted by an outside firm.

Jim Crichlow, who oversees high school athletics in the Valley as commissioner of the California Interscholastic Federation Central Section, said he had no involvement in the discipline. And he said he hasn’t received an “official complaint” regarding the Tirapelles in his eight-year career as commissioner.

Avants said Steve Tirapelle, the program’s 12-year head coach, was informed of the suspension Thursday in the office of Clovis Principal Pam Winter. Also present was district Deputy Superintendent Dan Kaiser.

“According to their investigation, I committed several violations related to recruiting, which is absolutely false,” Steve Tirapelle said. “When I asked them to elaborate, they said they didn’t have to tell me.

Oregon State University Sports Information

STILLWATER, Okla. — Former Oregon State wrestler Les Gutches will be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame during honors weekend in Stillwater, June 5-6, announced Thursday.

Gutches will be inducted as a Distinguished Member. He joins seven others in the 33rd class since the Hall of Fame began operations in 1976. He becomes the second Oregon State wrestler to be inducted since Robin Reed in 1978 with former head coach Dale Thomas also being inducted in 1980.

“It’s a huge honor,” Gutches said. “When you win a tournament, it’s kind of what you’ve done then and there. But being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a great honor because it encompasses your body of work and what you’ve done overall as an athlete. Growing up you see all of the people being inducted and have great respect for them. So for the Hall of Fame to look at your work and deem it to be honored like this, it’s huge.”

Gutches was the first athlete to win USA Wrestling national titles in all five age group levels – Cadet, Junior, Espoir, University and Senior.

Arno Niemand, a 1956 Cornell graduate, will be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, it was announced this week.

Niemand has been chosen as the 2009 inductee for the Order of Merit. He will be joined by Distinguished Members Pete Blair, Ed Eichelberger, Les Gutches and Dennis Koslowski; Outstanding American Steve Silver; Medal of Courage Larry Gibson; and Lifetime Achievement for Officials Chuck Yagla, and will be inducted during Honors Weekend on June 5-6 in Stillwater, Okla.

The eight honorees mark the 33rd class since the Hall of Fame began operations in 1976.

The Order of Merit is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of wrestling, other than success as an athlete or coach. The winner is selected by a vote of the Distinguished Members of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Niemand wrestled at Cornell from 1952-54 and was a varsity starter at 137 pounds, where he helped the Big Red to place second at the EIWA tournament and third at the NCAAs in 1953. Throughout his life, Niemand has continued to support the sport of wrestling, and in 2008 received the FILA Gold Star, which is the highest award given to an individual by the world governing body of wrestling. He was also inducted into the Cornell Hall of Distinguished Wrestling Alumni as part of the 2006-07 class.

LionHeart MMA

State College, Pa — LionHeart announces the West Coast MMA debut of 2008 NCAA Wrestling Champion Phil Davis. Davis will face Josh Green at The Palace Fighting Championship in Lemoore, Ca. on Jan 22, 2009.

Richard Goodman of PFC said he picked Davis for the card because he stood out not only as a fighter but as a person. “We’re excited to have Phil out here at The Palace. It’s the place to be if you want to make a name for yourself. We have a great organization with fighters who have worked their way into the UFC and Phil’s the best of the best when it comes to wrestling. We’re looking forward to working with him as he makes his transition into MMA.”

LionHeart Founder Chad Dubin believes the show will be an important step forward for Davis. “A lot of people back East know what’s going on with Phil but it’s important for him to get out West and be seen by the MMA community out there. Palace Fighting Championship has proven to be a great stepping stone for fighters looking to move to the next level and we’re excited about the opportunity for Phil to fight out there.”

Nebraska clinches team title; sends three wrestlers to finals of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational

By Mike Finn, WIN Editor

LAS VEGAS — Nebraska’s Jordan Burroughs, Brandon Browne and Craig Brester, all No. 2 seeds, reached the finals of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational by securing victories in the Saturday morning semifinal round in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Burroughs defeated Harvard’s J.P. O’Connor, 3-2, at 157 pounds and will advance to wrestle No. 1 –seed Jordan Leen of Cornell who beat Boise State’s Adam Hall, 8-5.

Browne decisioned West Virginia’s Kurt Brenner, 5-1, at 174 pounds to put the Husker in the finals against Michigan’s No. 1 seed Steve Luke who dominated Indiana’s Trevor Perry, 12-4.

Brester also reached the finals, which begin at 5 p.m. PST on Saturday night, when he tallied a 13-3 major decision against Purdue’s Logan Brown. The Husker will face Army’s Richard Sparks who defeated Cal State Bakersfield’s Riley Orozco, 9-4, in the other semifinal.

The trio of finalists helped the Huskers build a 22.5-point margin and statistically clinch the team championship over No. 2 Cornell, 106.5-84.

Pittsburgh stood in third place with 81.5 points, followed by Minnesota with 80.5 points.