Lee Kemp, one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the history of the sport, has joined the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling staff.

“What an opportunity for UW Whitewater and our wrestlers and staff,” UW-W head coach Tim Fader said. “I am really excited for the Warhawk wrestlers in our program. This is a chance for our guys to really learn and take from one of the best wrestlers our country has ever had. I have the opportunity to hear Lee speak and relate to younger wrestlers and have always been impressed. He has coached at the highest level of our sport. He is more than “just interested” in topics that can make a difference in a college wrestling career — nutrition, technique, motivation and preparation. I am excited to be around that level of knowledge and that type of success and achievement. He is a very sincere and inspiring person and we welcome Lee Kemp to our program,” Fader added.

Kemp’s resume’ is so extensive that his name transcends the sport of wrestling.

His collegiate career came just 45 miles from Whitewater at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Kemp went 143-6-1 for the Badgers, with five of those losses coming in his freshman year when he first year accomplishments included a win over Dan Gable and a second place finish in the NCAA championship. He lost the championship match on a split referee’s decision in overtime. That would be Kemp’s only loss in NCAA championship competition as he won titles in 1976, 1977 and 1978. His 39-0-0 record in 1976 was the only undefeated season in Division I wrestling. He went 103 consecutive matches without a loss (sixth best ever), and 87 in a row without a loss or tie (fourth best ever). Kemp was a three-time Big Ten champion, and three time Midlands Tournament winner.

Kemp’s international career spanned the globe. He won three world championships (Mexico City 1978, San Diego 1979, Alberta, Canada 1982), the first coming at the age of 21, just after finishing college and the youngest American to win a world or Olympic title at the time. Kemp added gold medal honors in World Cup competition four years in a row (1979-82), the first American to accomplish that feat. He also won Pan American Games gold medals in 1979 and 1984, as well as seven national championships (Amateur Athletic Union and United States Wrestling Federation). He was selected for the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, but the U.S. boycotted the games in Moscow, Russia (USSR at the time).

His coaching career, like his competitive career, came at the highest levels of the sport. Kemp coached the U.S. freestyle team that competed in the 2007 World Championship in China, coach the U.S. freestyle team at the World Junior Championship in 2007 in Beijing, China, and he was the head coach of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team that competed in Beijing.

Kemp’s honors and awards, just the highlights, include some of the most coveted in sport. Amateur Wrestling News named him the Outstanding Freshman in 1975 and the Outstanding Sophomore in 1976. The same publication honored him on the “Post 1958 Era All-Time Collegiate Wrestling Team”. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1989, one of six hall of fame selections he has earned. That group includes the George Martin Wrestling Hall of Fame (1983) in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame (2009), and the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame, conferred during the 2008 Olympics. He was named the United States Wrestling Federation Man of the Year in 1978, and was a two time finalist for the Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States.

“Five years ago I made an important decision to get back into wrestling and use my background and experience in wrestling and nutrition to make a positive impact on the athletes I was working with,” said Kemp. “I really enjoy getting on the mat and working with the athletes, and realize that I have lot to give and share. I believe the timing is perfect for me to connect with UW Whitewater and do what I can to help them win big.”

Kemp’s unique abilities will be shared in a weekly learning moment that will include training tips, motivation and inspiration elements. The sessions, just ten minutes long, will be held at 2:30 every Tuesday from now through December 13 in the upper lobby of Williams Center on the UW-W campus. Everyone — UW-W athletes, UW-W students, fans, members of the community, is welcome to attend the free sessions.

“Lee Kemp brings world class insight to the wrestling program at UW-Whitewater. His background and experiences will make an immediate impact on our team,” UW-W athletic director Paul Plinske noted. “I’m especially excited about the work that Lee will be doing with all of our programs. His weekly thoughts on training for peak performance will be shared with all of our student-athletes. Many will benefit as we strive to establish championship performances in our program,” said Plinske.

Kemp is the proud father of three children, Jordan (18), Mercedes (17), and Adam (11).

The UW-Whitewater wrestling team placed third in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference last year and twenty-ninth in the NCAA Division III championship. The Warhawks will open the season with a quad meet at UW-Madison November 13 that also includes Northern Illinois and Loras. The first home appearance of the season will be November 17 at 7:00 with UW-La Crosse visiting Williams Center.

For additional information: Tim Fader, wrestling coach and Paul Plinske, director of athletics
We also suggest: www.leekemp.com

Courtesy of Tom Fick, Sr. University Relations Specialist (Sports Information Director), Intercollegiate Athletics

LA CROSSE, Wis. – With two matches remaining in the 2011 NCAA Division III Championships, coach Jim Miller and the Knights were looking for a way to put an exclamation point on the program’s eighth national title.

They got it in the form of two individual national titles from junior 197 pounder Byron Tate and senior heavyweight John Helgerson.

“It was awesome to get the team title wrapped up early, but those two wins for Byron and John were sort of icing on the cake,” Miller said. “I am so happy for those two. I think I jumped 10 feet when John won, too.

“This entire team got up here and earned this championship. I’m very proud of these guys.”

Brackets

Tate’s second national title was paved with a flurry of second period takedowns to defeat Jared Massey of Augsburg 9-4. Helgerson took his first trip to the top of the awards stand with a thrilling 3-1 win against Elmhurst’s Mark Corsello. He caught Corsello’s legs towards the edge of the mat and scored the winning points with three seconds left.

Junior 174 pounder Bradley Banks of Stockbridge, Ga., who hoped to join Helgerson and Tate on the top of the podium, ended as a national runner-up. Wartburg ended the meet with 117 points, besting the field by 28.5 points.

Wartburg’s seven individual All-Americans included: senior 125 pounder Mark Kist of Eagle Grove, third; sophomore 133 pounder Tommy Mirocha of Davenport, fourth; senior 149 pounder Jacob Groth of Marshalltown, sixth; senior 157 pounder Carrington Banks, fourth; Bradley Banks, second; Tate and Helgerson, national champions. The Knights All-Americans were crowned at the end of Friday’s session, continuing a string of 16 years of five-or-more honors.

The Knights’ two individual champions marked the eighth consecutive championship in which the Orange and Black have had at least one titlist. Helgerson ended his Wartburg career on a 21-match win streak, while Tate’s roll ended the season at 50 wins in his last 51 matches.

Courtesy of NCAA.com

UW-Whitewater rolled up the most points in almost two years with a 42-4 win at UW-Platteville Thursday night. The Warhawks, ranked 17th in the Division III National Wrestling Coaches Association poll, amassed their largest point total of the season, topping a 41-4 win over UW-Eau Claire January 21, and scoring their most points since a 45-9 win over Calumet College of Saint Joseph November 24, 2009.

The meet started at 125 pounds
125: Mack Drees, PV, defeated Jedd Wilson, WW, 18-2
133: Jake Fredrickson, WW, defeated Rob Brink, PV, 15-4
141: Dylan Schroeder, WW, pinned Michael Ferris, PV, 2:25
149: Keegan Arthur, WW, defeated Ryan Borman, PV, 11-8
157: Corey Schmidt, WW, defeated Jon Hagen, PV, tech fall 15-0 (5:15)
165: Cheston Kesselhon, WW, defeated Jon Quamme, PV, 11-4
174: Reid Dickerson, WW, pinned Nick Gelsosomo, PV, 5:56
184: Andrew Pettit, WW, defeated Wesley Mathieu, PV, 4-2
197: Adam Latella, WW, pinned Devin Johnson, PV, 4:56
285: James Zarate, WW, pinned Fabian Becerra, PV, 2:46.

Mack Drees opened the match with a major decision at 125 pounds for Platteville, topping Warhawk freshman Jedd Wilson 18-2. Drees scored all the points he would need with a pair of takedowns in the first period. Jake Fredrickson evened the team score with a 15-4 major decision over Rob Brink at 133. Fredrickson led just 2-0 after the first period, but built on an 8-1 second period margin for the win. Fredrickson, ranked eighth in the Division III NWCA rankings at his weight, upped his record to 20-2. Dylan Schroeder, another freshman, wrapped up Platteville’s Michael Ferris quickly, recording a pin at 2:25 of the first period to improve to 10-7. Keegan Arthur, the third freshman in the Warhawk lineup, was tied 8-8 with Ryan Borman after two periods, but clinched the victory with a two point near fall in the third to make his season record 22-6.

At 157, Corey Schmidt led 8-0 after one and 13-0 after two on his way to a 15-0 technical fall at 5:15 over Platteville’s Jon Hagen. Warhawk freshman (number four) Cheston Kesselhon, now 11-15, scored the only two points in the first period of his match with Jon Quamme, added three more in the second, then exchanged points in the third on his way to an 11-4 win. Reid Dickerson, UW-W’s Wrestler of the Week for his third place finish at the Blugold Invitational last Saturday, became 24-16 on the season with a fall at 5:56 of Nick Gelsosomo. Dickerson led just 9-6 entering the third period, but added an escape and a takedown to lead 12-6 before registering the pin.

Whitewater’s Andrew Pettit (freshman number five, by the way) and Wesley Mathieu of Platteville had a scoreless first period, but Pettit scored four points to one for Mathieu in the second and hung on to improve his season mark to 8-18. Adam Latella, ranked ninth by the DIII NWCA, was playing catch and release (takedown and escape) with Devin Johnson on the way to a 17-4 lead before he pinned Johnson just before the end of the second period. Latella is 29-5. Warhawk 285-pounder James Zarate, the lone senior in Whitewater’s lineup, ended the match with a first period pin, at 2:46 to make his season mark 22-14.

UW-W is 13-12-1 in dual meets this season. The Warhawks will return to Platteville Sunday, February 27 for the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship Tournament. The WIAC tourney is also a qualifying meet for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Championship March 5-6 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

UW-Whitewater, ranked twenty-first in the latest poll of NCAA Division III teams, fell to UW-Parkside, ranked sixth in Division II, 26-12 in Kenosha Wednesday night. The match was originally scheduled for February 2 but was postponed because of the snowstorm.

competition began with the 285 weight class
125 Jedd Wilson (UWW) FALL Martino Balsiger (Wisconsin-Parkside) (2:05)
133 Cody Zimmerman (Wisconsin-Parkside) DEC Jake Fredrickson (UWW) 3 – 2
141 Arik Yde (Wisconsin-Parkside) DEC Rob Fenicle (UWW) 5 – 3
149 Kegan Arthur (UWW) DEC Dave Edwards (Wisconsin-Parkside) 7 – 3
157 Dillon Bera (Wisconsin-Parkside) MD Corey Schmidt (UWW) 12 – 2
165 Matt Gille (Wisconsin-Parkside) MD Chesten Kesselhon (UWW) 6 – 1
174 Luke Rynish (Wisconsin-Parkside) FALL Thomas Decker (UWW) 3:44
184 Ryan Woods (Wisconsin-Parkside) DEC Reid Dickerson (UWW) 9 – 4
197 Adam Latella (UWW) DEC Vince Depp (Wisconsin-Parkside) 11 – 4
285 Curtis Hines (Wisconsin-Parkside) DEC James Zarate (UWW) 9 – 4

Bera, Gille, and Rynish all earned all-America honors with top eight finishes in the NCAA II championship last year, and each is ranked again this season.

Jedd Wilson improved to 5-10 for UW-W, Kegan Arthur is 20-6, and Adam Latella, seventh in the NCAA III rankings for his weight class, is 31-6.

UW-Whitewater, 12-11-1 in dual meets, will compete in the Blugold Invite hosted by UW-Eau Claire in Eau Claire, Wisconsin Saturday, February 12.

UW-Whitewater, ranked twenty-first in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III poll, upset twelfth ranked UW-Stevens Point 18-16 Friday night in the Kachel Gym of Williams Center in Whitewater, Wisconsin.

The match started at 149 pounds, where Kris Magruder, ranked eighth by the NWCA at 149, began the night for University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a 6-2 win over Cade Sarbacker. After a scoreless first period Sarbacker struck first with a reversal in the second. Magruder totaled six unanswered points with one reversal, one reversal takedown, and earned two caution points to take the match 6-2. Whitewater’s Corey Schmidt tied the score at 157 with a 5-2 win over Ben Strobel. Schmidt scored in every period with two takedowns in the first, a reversal in the second, and a reversal takedown in the third. Whitewater’s Chesten Kesselhon continued the winning with a 7-1 win over eighth ranked Jordan Schulte at 165. Kesslhon got off to an early start with two takedowns and three near falls in the first period. He added one point in the final two periods to seal the victory. At the 174 pound weight class Stevens Point’s Ryan Conat scored two points in the first, three in the second, and three in the third to defeat Whitewater’s Reid Dickerson 8-1. Ben Engelland of UW-SP earned the victory with a major decision at 184, 12-2 over Andrew Petit upping Stevens Point’s lead to 10-6. Engelland, who is second in the national Division III rankings, had two takedowns in the first, four in the second, and four in the third to ensure the victory.

At the intermission there was a ceremony celebrating UW-W’s 50th year of wrestling. Whitewater’s all-time dual meet team was honored. James Zarate was also acknowledged as Whitewater’s lone senior. He has a 69-50 career record with 30 pins.

Adam Latella’s 5-3 win over Chad Gregory at 197 brought Whitewater within one point. The score was tied two all going into the third period before Latella added a pair of takedowns and an escape to add to his team high 25 wins. Latella is ranked seventh in the national poll. James Zarate put UW-W ahead 12-10 with a 9-8 win over Steve Wozniak at the 285 pound weight class. Zarate went into the third period with a four to three lead and pulled out the win with an escape to clinch a one point victory. Stevens Point regained the lead 12-10 with a forefit at the 125 pound weight class. UW-W’s eighth ranked Jake Fredrickson earned his eighteenth win, versus one loss, on the season with a 5-1 victory over Jordan Kust at the 125 pound weight class. Fredrickson scored in each period to finalize the win. In the final — and decisive — match of the night Whitewater’s Dylan Schroeder defeated Shane Sweeny 6-1 at 141 scoring two points in the first, three in the second, and one in the third.

The win improved UW-Whitewater’s dual meet record to 12-11-1 and 2-2 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Stevens Point is 9-8 in dual matches, 2-2 in the WIAC.

Whitewater will travel to Kenosha Wednesday, February 9 to face the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

For additional information, Tim Fader, UW-W coach, 262-472-1867

149 Kris Magruder, SP, def. Cade Sarbacker, WW, 6-2
157 Corey Schmidt, WW, def. Ben Strobel, SP, 5-2
165 Cheston Kesselhon, WW, def. Jordan Schulte, SP, 7-1
174 Ryan Conat, SP, def. Reid Dickerson, WW, 8-1
184 Ben Engelland, SP, def. Andrew Petit, WW, 12-2
197 Adam Latella, WW, def. Chad Gregory, SP, 5-3
285 James Zarate, WW, def. Steve Wozniak, SP, 9-8
125 Brad Kuehn, SP won by forefit
133 Jake Fredrickson, WW, def. Jordan Kust, SP, 5-1
141 Dylan Schroeder, WW, def. Shane Sweeny, SP, 6-1

GRANTHAM, Pa. – Freshman Jared Leon (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) finished fourth at 174 pounds to lead the Gettysburg College wrestling team at the Petrofes Invitational, hosted by Messiah College, on Friday and Saturday.

The Bullets earned 36 points to place 11th out of 13 teams. Wilkes University won the invitational with 162.5 points.

Leon, the No. 7 seed, finished 3-2 for the tournament to place for the fourth time in as many outings and improve to 15-7. After winning a pair of close decisions, he rebounded from an 11-3 major decision loss to upset top-seeded Zach Bates of Messiah. He concluded the tournament with a 3-1 loss to No. 3 Brandon Sundwall of Springfield in the third-place match.

Also earning three wins apiece were freshman Dan Grabfelder (Collegeville, Pa./Germantown Academy) at 165 and sophomore Kevin Poplaski (North Reading, Mass./St. John’s Prep) at heavyweight. The No. 7 seed, Grabfelder notched a pair of pins to push his team-leading total to eight while adding a major decision to push his record to 13-7. Poplaski, seeded sixth, also had a pair of falls.

Freshmen Matt Spano (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) and Dan Traficanti (Pittsburgh, Pa./Kiski School) picked up two victories each for Gettysburg. Spano notched a pin and a major decision while Traficanti came away with a major decision.

Sophomore Joe Fiore (Hicksville, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial), senior D.J. Neri (Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson), and sophomore Marshall Puls (New York, N.Y./Hotchkiss) registered one win apiece, with Fiore logging a pin.

Gettysburg competes in its final match of the semester when it hosts York (Pa.) College on Wednesday in a non-conference dual match at 7 p.m.

125
Matt Spano (GC) pinned Will Richards (SPR), 2:34
#4 Spencer Alexander (MES) dec. Matt Spano (GC), 7-5
Matt Spano (GC) major dec. David Bailen (ONEA), 10-2
#5 Stephen Hinton (LYCO) dec. Matt Spano (GC), 8-3

141
Ian Kelly (WIL) dec. Dan Traficanti (GC), 4-2
Dan Traficanti (GC) major dec. Cameron May (MTU), 12-4
Dan Traficanti (GC) dec. Gabe Horton (URS), 7-3
Jerry Joulbert (Bridgewater) pinned Dan Traficanti (GC), 2:37

157
#6 Ryan Pastore (MES) pinned Joe Fiore (GC), 3:21
Joe Fiore (GC) pinned Patrick Gibson (MUHL), 2:19
Chad Rhoades (MTU) pinned Joe Fiore (GC), 4:49

165
#7 Dan Grabfelder (GC) pinned Ross Myers (WIL), 1:02
James Coutoumus (SPR) dec. #7 Dan Grabfelder (GC), 12-5
#7 Dan Grabfelder (GC) major dec. Chris Gevinski (ONEA), 11-2
#7 Dan Grabfelder (GC) pinned Matthew Peters (MCD), 2:07
#5 Eric Levenseller (JHU) major dec. #7 Dan Grabfelder (GC), 10-1

174
#5 Jared Leon (GC) dec. Matt Artigliere (SPR), 4-3
#5 Jared Leon (GC) dec. #4 Jeremy Hathaway (MTU), 6-4
Michael Fish (SPR) major dec. Michael Fish (SPR), 11-3
#5 Jared Leon (GC) dec. #1 Zach Bates (MES), 9-7
#3 Brandon Sundwall (SPR) def. #5 Jared Leon (GC), 3-1 (Third-place match)
Zigmund Reichenbach (LYCO) major dec. Anton Serhan (GC), 16-2
#8 David Okerblom (MES) pinned Anton Serhan (GC), 1:16

184
Chad Obzud (ONEA) dec. D.J. Neri (GC), 8-7
D.J. Neri (GC) dec. Clifford Farrell (WIL), 10-7
#3 Troy Hayre (LYCO) dec. D.J. Neri (GC), 7-0
#7 Brian Kramer (ONEA) pinned Michael Sheehan (GC), 4:33
Ben Finelli (JHU) dec. Michael Sheehan (GC), 11-4

197
#1 Ben Schindel (MTU) pinned Marshall Puls (GC), 4:26
Marshall Puls (GC) dec. Anthony Dalesano (SPR), 8-6
Daniel Brown (WIL) dec. Marshall Puls (GC), 8-3

285
Ricky Caruso (BSC) dec. #6 Kevin Poplaski (GC), 5-3
#6 Kevin Poplaski (GC) pinned Phillip Kitain (ONEA), 5:39
#6 Kevin Poplaski (GC) pinned Cory Hagan (MTU), 6:13
#6 Kevin Poplaski (GC) dec. John Gabordi (SPR), 8-2
#7 Patrick Hogan (MES) dec. #6 Kevin Poplaski (GC), 8-6

Courtesy of Braden Snyder, Sports Information Director, Gettysburg College

Henrietta, N.Y.–Anthony Wallace, a well-known RIT graduate, wrestler and police officer was killed in the line of duty Saturday according to Alaskan authorities.

Wallace and his partner Matt Tokuoka died following a shooting in Hoonah Alaska according to Bob Prunella, acting city administrator for the Village of Hoonah.

Before joining the police force in Alaska in 2008, Wallace starred as an All-American wrestler for RIT.

Read the entire article by Evan White of www.13wham.com here…

By STEVE NOVAK – www.chagrinvalleytimes.com

Last month, former Solon High School wrestler Richie Clark won the Ohio Athletic Conference wrestling championship in the 149-pound category for Mount Union College.

For Clark, a senior, that title was the culmination of a journey which began in high school after a biopsy revealed he was suffering from Hodgkin’s disease, a cancer which begins in the lymph nodes.

As a result, Clark pushed, pulled and dragged himself through his last year of high school wrestling while undergoing chemotherapy. Doctors allowed him to wrestle as long as he still felt able to perform.

Up to then, it was probably the toughest thing he’d ever gone through.

“Sometimes, I just wound up against the wall, because I was so tired,” Clark said.

The chemotherapy lasted throughout the wrestling season and he has been cancer-free for five years. Although the disease sapped his strength and decreased his weight, he finished the season with 23 wins and 11 losses.

Twenty or more victories in a season is a goal for many wrestlers. However, it was a step backward for Clark, who had won 30 matches as a junior and qualified for the Division I state finals.

So, while he was struggling through his senior year, Clark made a decision which he kept to himself at that time.

“I kind of figured that I wasn’t through with wrestling yet,” he said.

With a clean bill of health after chemotherapy, Clark went to West Liberty State College and headed for the wrestling mat again. He qualified for the varsity, but he wasn’t able to make the starting team. Nevertheless, he was satisfied, because he was wrestling again. In his sophomore year, he again wasn’t on the starting team.

Read the entire article By STEVE NOVAK – www.chagrinvalleytimes.com here…

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The 37th Annual NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships are set for this Friday and Saturday, March 5-6, at the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The two-day event, which features 160 wrestlers from 59 schools, is being hosted by Coe College, Cornell College, and the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Follow all The action!

Tournament Homepage | Official Preview | TheMat.com Special Section | The view from section GG

2010 National Championships

Championship Brackets

The View from Section GG – Jim Brown

The qualifiers have all been determined and now the families, friends and fans of the 160 young men who will compete for a title at the 2010 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships are planning their travel to Cedar Rapids.

On the surface this year’s tournament looks to be a three-horse race among Augsburg, Wartburg and Coe, all of whom are sending a full ten-wrestler complement. The upset, however, is the beauty of Division III and I wouldn’t be surprised to see UW-La Crosse or Ithaca sneak into the top three.

The scheduling of the Division I qualifiers the same weekend as the Division III National Championships always hurts attendance a little at “DIIIs”. However, if you’re not ready for wrestling season to end and you’re not planning on attending Big 10s, Big XIIs or any of the others, I urge you to come to Cedar Rapids. These athletes deserve a big audience – and you’ll be surprised at how much fun you have.

Read Jim Browns entire article on his Blog here…