After three grueling days of competition, heart attack moments, setbacks, incredible determination, and persistence in spite of the ever present obstacles, two Hofstra Pride wrestlers emerged from the cheers and hollers of Philadelphia with All-American honors in the 2011 championships.

The Wrestling Witch of the East showed up in the form of Penn State blue and Cornell red and worked its magic as the 2 eastern teams moved ahead of Iowa. One of these teams could be making a bid to be the first eastern team to win a national wrestling title since Penn State in 1953.

A year later, a year stronger, and determined to exorcise the curse from their wrestling souls, the Pride reclaimed the CAA title ripping away the title from the Binghamton Bearcats, the team who terminated their championship streak in 2010 at 9 straight, and qualified 7 athletes for the championships in Philadelphia PA.

It’s always exciting heading up to Albany to see the New York State high school wrestling championships. Long Islanders are used to being leaders at the annual state wrestling party.

On January 2nd, 13 ambitious teams from around New York State will make the trip to Union-Endicott to compete in New York’s most competitive dual meet tournament. Often the tournament champion is selected by the New York State Sports Writers Association (NYSSWA) as the number one team in the state. Though they use many events in their final selection, it is the keystone event in their analysis.

Like a tsunami, the John Glenn wrestling program has been steadily and quietly closing in on Section XI dominance. From an undistinguished Section XI finish in 2003 followed by incremental and steady improvement, the John Glenn tsunami hit shore in 2009 leaving a path of destruction in its wake. There were hints of what was to come in 2008 when they placed fourth in Section XI behind perennial powerhouses Brentwood, Hauppauge, and Huntington. Still, many have pierced Section XI’s top 5 standing only to have fallen out contention the following season.

While reading Coach Bevilacqua’s article “WHY WRESTLE” it certainly got me to thinking. His understanding of wrestling is obvious, and he seems to have been involved with the sport forever. He points out many of the details that make the sport of wrestling in my option the greatest sport in the world. I will not go over all the reason Coach Bevilacqua gives because if you have read the article, you already know. If you haven’t, then go and do so.

Hunter College, a New York City Division III wrestling program, takes to the mat for the 2009-2010 season under the leadership of interim head coach, Mike Simon. After thirty continuous seasons, Bob Gaudenzi will take a temporary leave from his head coaching duties. For Simon, the head coaching role is the realization of a dream that was first planted when he began wrestling in the 8th grade at Warwick Rhode Island.

As a new wrestling season approaches, there are things I notice that get me longing for the start of the season and competition. Here’s my list. Pick your top sign of the start of new wrestling season with a vote in the poll, or submit your own top 10 with a comment.

In the “Way of Lao-tzu” it is said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” For most athletes taking their first step on a wrestling mat, the destination often proves elusive. Of the few wrestlers who manage to defy the odds and attain All American honors, even fewer attain the title so shortly after the referee’s first whistle. For many, the journey starts as early as five and only after many years of practice and competition.

Someone once said, “Wrestling is not a sport, it is a way of life” Often “civilians” laugh at this statement, thinking it just a silly boast. However, I hope now when you are frustrated trying to explain to one who mocks and says, “What’s the big deal about this wrestling anyway?” you will hand them this letter and just maybe they will begin to understand. anyway I know that you do!

It’s a cool summer evening at the Linden Recreation Center where people are taking time out of their day to enjoy the weather. As some sit on park benches talking, kids play on the playground and the North East Falcons youth football team begins fitting its players with equipment. One way or another, the people [...]

I’m working on an essay to be published on this site with the title, Why Wrestle!   I thought it would be fun to hear views from the wrestling community as to why they embrace this sport as avidly as they do.   I’m looking for views not just from the competitors.  I’d like to hear from the [...]

Two minutes ! This was how close to the 98-pound Junior National freestyle title rising Kings Park senior, Maxwell Soria, was this morning as he kicked off the final day of the week long festivities under the FargoDome….Winning the first period 2-0 against his finals opponent, Ruben Navejas of Washington, on the strength of a [...]

Following several weeks of underground rumor and scuttlebutt that Joe Dubuque would not be returning for a fourth season on the Pride bench, the news came down yesterday morning that the former two-time NCAA titlist would be returning to the place that made him the champion that he is today, Bloomington, Indiana.

The rapid growth of club wrestling in recent years has brought numerous positive impacts to scholastic wrestling. Year around training under the guidance of highly skilled club coaches, as well as personal trainers, has raised scholastic wrestling skills to unprecedented levels.

“Arising from the east may be the most prodigious group of red wrestlers since the fall of the Soviet Union — and the least likely. Cornell University, coming off its third straight victory in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association tournament held this past weekend in Philadelphia, has the second-ranked wrestling team in the nation. Rarely has an East Coast team been ranked so high; for the Ivy League, it is unprecedented.”

Brothers Andrew and Dylan Alton (earlier in the season we published an interview with their father) take home the gold Saturday at the PIAA Class AAA State championships as they become the first Central Mountain wrestlers to take back-to-back state titles. This marked the first time the brothers won major titles together.

As I rode upstate to Athol Springs, NY with Monsignor Farrell Assistant Coach, Jason Bross, I was told the story of how the Lions’ coaching staff assembled one day approximately four years ago and looked to the future. With a talented, but still raw group of freshmen staring them in the face, the MF brain trust knew that the day was near that the Staten Island based school would again claim the hardware

After a day when every competitor put it all on the line for their dreams, I left the arena that evening in awe of all the athletes: winners and losers. Everyone one of these boys came to wrestle their hearts out, and if you were present on Friday, you were privileged to witness an exciting day of wrestling from the opening pigtail round to the final whistle of the 285 pound wrestle backs.

The last time that the Hofstra University wrestling team took the mat in their home arena, they fought tooth and nail, making the Ohio State University earn every inch of their 19-13 dual victory.  Sunday February 8th was an entirely different story.  On a day that the Hempstead based university honored greatness and committment, the athletes [...]

(Hempstead, NY)—At the end of the day, the scoreboard read: Ohio State University 19, Hofstra University 13.  However, if you are someone who only looked at the box score, you really have no idea what today’s festivities were all about.  Yes, it was a dual meet between two top-20 teams.  However, it was also a [...]

Remember in the movie “Field of Dreams” the voice said.. build it they will come…I heard the voice.. I built it and they did come!..60 and strong wrestling alumni from Island Trees High School encircled the brand new mat that had just been dedicated.

Many people think I’m crazy…crazy about the sport of wrestling, but those of us that know better know it’s more than being a sports fanatic. Someone said once that “wrestling is not a sport, it’s a philosophy – a way of life”.