This week Tommy and I spend most of the time covering the goings on from this past weekend at NCAAs. We discuss our reactions to matches, upsets, and some behind the scenes activities from Kansas City. I wand to go back. It was awesome. Rock on! The views and opinions expressed on this show are those of the individual hosts and not the network or sponsors of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. That being said, they curse a lot, too. 

Episode 30 of the NWCA's Mat Stats Show gets a look into the annual monstrosity that is the Mat Talk Online Division I Wrestling Championships Preview Guide - or as many call it - The Guide. With over 250 pages, the Mat Talk Online NCAA Division I Wrestling Fan Guide is the ultimate digital resource for the wrestling fan looking for information on the current tournament, historical news and notes, qualifier breakdowns, data, and interactive content from the Mat Talk Podcast...

Shane Sparks sits down with Robert Kokesh, a standout wrestler from the University of Nebraska, to discuss his journey from South Dakota to becoming a three-time All-American. Kokesh shares insights into his wrestling career, the influence of his coaches, and the lessons learned along the way. TimestampsWrestling, Sports, and Personal Background (0:02)Toughness, Resilience, and Wrestling (3:33)High School Wrestling Experiences and Coaching (6:26)College Wrestling Recruitment and Early...

Jason Bryant is joined by Anthony and Gennaro Bonaventura from the D3 Nation Podcast to talk about the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships coming up March 15-16 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Brackets: https://www.ncaa.com/_flysystem/public-s3/files/2024-03/2024DIIIMWR_ChampionshipBrackets.pdf  Check out The Guide, Mat Talk Online’s massive Division I Men’s Wrestling Championship Preview Guide with pre-orders now available at WrestlingPreviewGuide.com. Use the Discount...

This week we have a special guest host in Earl Smith, NWMA Journalist of the year and Site Editor for Intermat. We discussed At-Large Bids and our general thoughts on those. We also cover some conference reactions across the board, and we talk through Earl's experiences from the B1G Tournament. We also talk through some of his Intermat experiences and a quick parent corner. Rock on! The views and opinions expressed on this show are those of the individual hosts and not the...

The 2024 ACC Championship will be hosted by North Carolina this year on Sunday, March 10. NC State leads the ACC with five top seeds, and the Pack also added three with the second seed. Meaning, the Wolfpack will have just two compete in the opening round, while the eight others have a bye into the semifinals as NC State goes for a sixth straight ACC title. Host Brian Reinhardt and Pack head coach Pat Popolizio go weight-by-weight for a complete preview on episode No. 121 of the...

This week is a solo pod from Claunch. I refer most to the Intermat Conference Crossover podcast we did this week to preview the B1G, EIWA, and ACC. Then I cover the rest, MAC, Big 12, and Pac 12. I try to throw out a couple things to pay attention to regarding possible upsets and projections, and I do elaborate on some of the B1G projections, and the excitement that can be 149. Finish with a brief tribute to my daughter getting me into Taylor Swift. Rock On! The views and...

Shane Sparks welcomes Cole Konrad, a wrestling legend from the University of Minnesota and an undefeated Bellator champion in MMA. Konrad discusses his journey from being a top high school heavyweight to achieving collegiate wrestling glory and making a mark in the MMA world. Timestamps College Sports Achievements with a Former Athlete (0:02) Wrestling Success, Motivation, and Dedication (1:01) High School Wrestling, College Recruitment, and Career Goals...

Shane Sparks sits down with Matt Valenti, a distinguished figure in collegiate wrestling and athletics administration. Valenti shares insights from his journey as a multi-sport athlete in high school to becoming a two-time NCAA wrestling champion for the University of Pennsylvania. He’s now working at his alma mater as a Senior Associate AD for Student-Athlete Leadership and Development. The conversation covers the importance of family support, the challenges and triumphs of his wrestling...

Checking out what’s coming up at the 2024 NAIA Men’s Wrestling National Championships this weekend at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kansas.  Host Jason Bryant will look at the draws, point out who to keep an eye on and provide some history of the championships.  Event kicks off Feb. 29 and will be streamed live on Flowrestling. Brackets at Trackwrestling.com Check out The Guide, Mat Talk Online’s massive Division I Men’s Wrestling Championship Preview Guide with pre-orders...

This week Tommy and I talk through some suggested rule changes at the High School level. We then catch up with Head Coach Mark Branch from Wyoming to catch up on their season and some of their developing young guys in the lineup. We then talk through the Pan Am Qualifiers and what to look forward to this week. We finish up with a parent corner and some movie recommendations. Rock on! The views and opinions expressed on this show are those of the individual hosts and not the...

The new Executive Director of Beat the Streets Bay Area, John Lange, comes on Short Time to talk about his new role with the organization and his return to wrestling. An All-American at Penn State in 1998, Lange has the unique distinction of being the first wrestler in the full wrestleback era to have lost in the first round and come back to take third at the NCAA Division I championships. He spent time as an assistant coach at Hofstra and Eastern Michigan before assuming the role of interim...

The boys at MatStats study the trends in the number of matches the men’s NCAA qualifiers and champions have wrestled over the years.  We also see if the best teams agree with Alan Jackson.  Finally, we compare wrestling to other NCAA sports in the number of contests. Full Slideshow: https://www.mattalkonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/slideshow_ep29.pdf Sticker Mule wants to make sure your team, program, company or project is set to go with quality graphics and promotional...

Pennsylvania native Tanner McHugh was a two-time high school state placewinner who opted to go the Division III route for college. During his time at Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio, McHugh launched the True Tan Wrestling YouTube channel. Fast forward a couple of years and McHugh is now coaching in Division III at Ohio Wesleyan University, a school that's in just its sixth year of wrestling. McHugh got back to his True Tan brand recently and will be releasing a documentary on the...

It doesn’t get much better than this if you are a college wrestling fan, as the 2024 ACC Dual Championship is on the line Friday night inside Reynolds Coliseum! NC State (15-2) and Virginia Tech (9-3) sit alone atop the ACC standings both at 4-0 heading into the final weekend of the regular season. The winner will be the outright regular season champion. Host Brian Reinhardt and Pack head coach Pat Popolizio breakdown the dual and much more in episode No. 120 of the #PackMentality...

After leaving the place he'd help establish as a national wrestling power, Gray Simons spent five seasons at Indiana State as the Sycamores' head coach prior to taking over his first "big school" - the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. While sports-crazy, Tennessee was still new to the wrestling game. Gray Simons and a talented recruiter named Steve Gaydosh wouldn't just change Tennessee's fortunes - they would turn Tennessee into a waking giant in college wrestling. As programs started...

Join Shane Sparks as he delves into the inspiring journey of Anthony Cassar, from his singular New Jersey state championship to clinching the NCAA heavyweight title with Penn State. Cassar shares his transition into MMA, the mental and physical preparation that propelled him to success, and the lessons learned from setbacks. Timestamps Passion, Grit, and Perseverance in Wrestling and MMA (0:02) Career, College Choice, and Overcoming Setbacks (4:32) Wrestling...

This week we recap some of the wrestling from the weekend. We also talk through some of the weight classes and their implications for seeding in the B1G and elsewhere to this point. We also cover our name and how lucky we were to get it. Two guys one singlet was already taken. Rock On! The views and opinions expressed on this show are those of the individual hosts and not the network or sponsors of the Mat Talk Podcast Network. That being said, they curse a lot, too. 

The NC State Wrestling team is off to a 3-0 start in ACC, and will step out of action this weekend for a top-10 dual inside Reynolds Coliseum. Host Brian Reinhardt and NC State head coach Pat Popolizio talk about what has been going on in the Wolfpack wrestling program on episode No. 119 of the #PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast. #8 NC State will host #9 Cornell Friday night at 7 PM in Reynolds Coliseum. Not only does the dual feature 19 ranked wrestlers among the 20 probably starters, but...

Shannon Scovel covers NCAA Division I Men's wrestling for NCAA.com. Today on the Short Time Wrestling Podcast, we've got Scovel, an Assistant Professor of Sports Communications at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and is also a former collegiate swimmer at American University. Scovel's journalism background has stops overseas as a Fulbright Scholar, internships at Yahoo and Sports Illustrated and graduate work at the University of Maryland. Check out The Guide, Mat Talk Online’s...

This week Tommy and Kevin talk through some of the officiating controversy and the hopeful statement from the head of officiating. We also discuss some of the results and exciting matches that included successful takedowns. We also have the chance to speak with Hoftra's Head Coach, Dennis Papadatos, on his ten years with his alma mater as their head coach, his story competing, and how he developed into the coach and team he has today. We wrap up with a breakdown of Wyoming wrestling's...

Shane Sparks sits down with wrestling legend Tommy Rowlands, discussing his illustrious career from high school dominance to international competition. They delve into Rowlands' rivalry with Steve Mocco, his Olympic journey, and the lessons he's learned along the way. TimestampsWrestling Career with Two-Time State Champion Tommy Rowlands (0:02)Wrestling Career, High School State Titles, and College Recruitment (0:54)Wrestling Career, Beliefs, and Mentors (4:48)Overcoming Setbacks and...

It is Rivalry Week as the Wolfpack will host the Tar Heels in an ACC battle inside Reynolds Coliseum. Host Brian Reinhardt and NC State head coach Pat Popolizio break down the dual that is sure to be PACKed with Wolfpack RED on episode No. 118 of the #PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast. Watch previous episodes of the #PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast: / @wolfpackrtc #packmentality#WolfpackWrestling#NCStateWrestling#wrestlingpodcast

This week Tommy and Kevin talk through some of the higher profile matches from the weekend. We reference the young stud Meyer Shapiro, we talk through the goings on at 165, and we discuss the mission that Parker Keckeisen is on. We also talk about the differences between this years Vito, and last years F you mode Vito. Tommy reminds us of the Freestyle fun this weekend, RBY wrestling for Mexico, and we update you on Wyoming wrestling and their three dual win streak. Rock On! The...

In this episode, Shane Sparks welcomes Doug Schwab, a three-time All-American, national champion at Iowa, 2008 Olympian, and the head coach at the University of Northern Iowa. Schwab shares his insights on wrestling, coaching, and life, emphasizing the importance of perseverance, discipline, and the impact of great mentors. Key Points Discussed * Schwab's Wrestling Journey: From his early experiences in the sport to becoming a national champion and Olympian. * Coaching...