The Open Mat

abdoufeature
Photo: Dom Gagne

Longtime Simon Fraser coach Abdou retires

Justin Abdou is retiring after a wrestling and coaching career spanning nearly four decades. He spent 25 years as a head coach at Simon Fraser University, leading the men's program from 2001 to 2025 and the women's program from 2017 to 2026. Abdou also served as an SFU assistant coach for several years while still competing.

More

Recent Articles

Featured Content

brandsschwab

Iowa, UNI renew rivalry with 'Dual in the Dome' set for Dec. 11

Iowa and Northern Iowa will renew one of college wrestling's longest-dormant in-state rivalries on Dec. 11, when the Hawkeyes travel to Cedar Falls for "Dual in the Dome" at the UNI-Dome, presented by Journeymen Wrestling.
hillcollege1200

Hill College receives NJCAA grant to launch men's, women's wrestling programs

Hill College has received a $2,000 NJCAA Sport Opportunity grant to fund the addition of men's and women's wrestling programs, the college announced. The NJCAA Foundation has provided Sport Opportunity grants since 2018 to support the addition, growth and sustainability of sports programs at the community college level.
nmu

Northern Michigan to discontinue Greco-Roman program in 2027

Northern Michigan University is discontinuing its National Training Site program for Greco-Roman wrestling, effective June 30, 2027. Athletes were notified via email Friday morning.

Recent Content

abdoufeature

Longtime Simon Fraser coach Abdou retires

Justin Abdou is retiring after a wrestling and coaching career spanning nearly four decades. He spent 25 years as a head coach at Simon Fraser University, leading the men's program from 2001 to 2025 and the women's program from 2017 to 2026. Abdou also served as an SFU assistant coach for several years while still competing.
brandsschwab

Iowa, UNI renew rivalry with 'Dual in the Dome' set for Dec. 11

Iowa and Northern Iowa will renew one of college wrestling's longest-dormant in-state rivalries on Dec. 11, when the Hawkeyes travel to Cedar Falls for "Dual in the Dome" at the UNI-Dome, presented by Journeymen Wrestling.
boomer

Edinboro adds Fechko as assistant wrestling coach

Edinboro men's wrestling has hired Craig "Boomer" Fechko as assistant coach, head coach Matt Hill announced Monday. Fechko joins the Scots after serving as associate head coach at John Carroll in 2025-26. Prior to that, he spent three seasons as head coach at Lake Erie College before returning to the assistant coach ranks.
hillcollege1200

Hill College receives NJCAA grant to launch men's, women's wrestling programs

Hill College has received a $2,000 NJCAA Sport Opportunity grant to fund the addition of men's and women's wrestling programs, the college announced. The NJCAA Foundation has provided Sport Opportunity grants since 2018 to support the addition, growth and sustainability of sports programs at the community college level.
nmu

Northern Michigan to discontinue Greco-Roman program in 2027

Northern Michigan University is discontinuing its National Training Site program for Greco-Roman wrestling, effective June 30, 2027. Athletes were notified via email Friday morning.
santorofeature

Santoro retires after 18 seasons as Lehigh head coach, Dillon named successor

Pat Santoro is stepping down as head coach of Lehigh wrestling after 18 seasons leading the program, the school announced. Associate head coach Brad Dillon, a former Lehigh All-American, will take over for the 2026-27 season and become the ninth head coach in program history.
xtreamfeature

NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships returning to Coralville

Coralville, Iowa, is keeping women's college wrestling's biggest weekend. The 2027 NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships will return to Xtream Arena on March 5-6.
perez1200

NAIA All-American Perez signs with Iowa State

Iowa State women's wrestling has added a proven NAIA commodity to its growing roster, signing 110-pound transfer Avy Perez out of William Penn. She joins what head coach Alli St. John has quietly assembled into one of the most credential-laden inaugural rosters in women's college wrestling history.
edwards

Concord University names Edwards first head women's wrestling coach

Concord University has named Bill Edwards as its first head women's wrestling coach, athletic director Luke Duffy announced Tuesday. Edwards comes to Concord after serving as head wrestling coach at Abingdon High School in Abingdon, Virginia, since 2019.
castrofeature

Waynesburg names Castro head women's wrestling coach

Waynesburg University has named Leilah Castro as head women's wrestling coach, director of athletics Tim Fusina announced. Castro comes to Waynesburg after two seasons as an assistant at Otterbein, where she helped build the women's wrestling program from the ground up in its first two years of existence.
ncaamat2025

NCAA approves five-year eligibility model

The NCAA Division I Cabinet unanimously approved a sweeping eligibility overhaul Tuesday, granting all D-I athletes five years of competition while eliminating redshirt seasons and injury waivers under the new framework.
phillipsfeature

Bellevue University signs NJCAA national champs Phillips and Rubio

Bellevue University's inaugural women's wrestling recruiting class is taking shape. The Bruins have signed a pair of NJCAA national champions in Keyahna Phillips and Rosalia Rubio.
mcenelly1200

NCAA champ McEnelly takes on UFC fighter, PSU great Nickal at RAF 12

2026 NCAA champion Max McEnelly will face Bo Nickal in a light heavyweight freestyle bout at Real American Freestyle Wrestling's RAF 12 on Aug. 22 in Cleveland, Ohio.
workingerfeature

Workinger named head women's wrestling coach at Big Bend

Big Bend Community College has named Shannon Workinger as head coach of its women's wrestling program. Workinger is an NAIA national finalist and three-time All-American, competing for Menlo and Evergreen State.
kirk

Mission College names Kirk head coach for inaugural wrestling season

Mission College has named Dustin Kirk as head coach of its inaugural wrestling program, the school announced. Kirk will lead both the men's and women's programs when they begin competing in the 2026-27 season.
poalillofeature

Iowa State secures commitment from U17 world medalist Poalillo

Iowa State women's wrestling has secured a commitment from one of the nation's top high school wrestlers, landing New Jersey standout Ella Poalillo. Poalillo, a U17 world medalist, enters her senior season as one of the premier recruits in the Class of 2027.
jumokefeature

Two-time NAIA national champ Adekoye transfers to Iowa State

Iowa State women's wrestling has added another proven collegiate champion, securing a commitment from two-time NAIA national champion Jumoke Adekoye of Dickinson State.
prescottfeature

Prescott resigns as Central Methodist head women's wrestling coach

Tim Prescott has resigned as head women's wrestling coach at Central Methodist University after two seasons leading the Eagles program, he announced Monday.
wisconsincoaches

Wisconsin announces coaching staff changes

Wisconsin wrestling head coach Chris Bono has announced staffing changes within the program, promoting Tony Cassioppi to associate head coach, elevating Garrett Model to assistant coach and adding recent graduate Joe Zargo as a coaching assistant.
kolawolefeature

Iowa State lands Olympian, two-time NAIA national champ Kolawole

The Iowa State women's wrestling program added another major piece to its rapidly growing roster, securing a commitment from Olympian and two-time NAIA national champion Esther Kolawole. Kolawole transfers to Iowa State from William Penn, where she established herself as one of the most accomplished wrestlers in NAIA women's wrestling.
gomez

Iowa State adds McKendree transfer Persaeus Gomez

Iowa State women's wrestling has added its second McKendree transfer, securing a commitment from Persaeus Gomez, head coach Alli St. John announced. She was ranked as a top-20 recruit in the Class of 2024.
174feature

TCNJ's Mays vacates 174-pound NCAA Division III national title

Hunter Mays' 174-pound championship at the 2026 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships has been erased from the record books. TCNJ Athletics confirmed Tuesday that the NCAA has declared Mays ineligible due to a violation of NCAA policy, resulting in the vacation of his individual championship.
gabriellagomezfeature

Gabriella Gomez transfers to Iowa State after one season at McKendree

Iowa State women's wrestling continues to build one of the most impressive inaugural rosters in the sport. Gabriella Gomez, a three-time Illinois state champion and 2022 U17 world silver medalist, has transferred from national champion McKendree to join head coach Alli St. John's program as it builds toward its first NCAA season in 2027-28.