Bonus Points - A USA Wrestling Podcast

Episode 96 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features Grays Harbor College Women's Wrestling Head Coach Andy Cook. Cook was named head coach of the Grays Harbor College women's wrestling program in 2016. In the program's inaugural season, Cook guided the Lady Chokers to an 18th place finish in the WCWA and its first individual All-American, Kacie Moorehouse. He continues to be heavily involved with USA Wrestling. Cook was a U.S. coach for the Junior Pan American Championships and Cadet World Championships in 2017. He is widely regarded as one of the top women's wrestling coaches in the nation. Topics of discussion include building the Grays Harbor program from the ground up, the upcoming WCWA nationals, the benefits of women's wrestling, and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 96 guest Andy Cook on Twitter at @acbushido and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 95 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast previews the most anticipated college dual meet of the season, No. 1 Ohio State visitng No. 2 Penn State on February 3, 2018. The show begins with a quick chat with NCAA champion and two-time All-American Myles Martin of Ohio State. We discuss the upcoming dual meet, and his rivalry matchup with NCAA champion Bo Nickal of Penn State at 184 pounds. The second half of the episode takes a deep dive into the specific matchups, as show host Richard Immel and frequent guest commentator Jason Bryant give their thoughts on the dual. The Ohio State at Penn State dual meet is scheduled for 8 p.m. (ET) at Rec Hall in University Park, Pa. this Saturday. Big Ten Network will televise all the action live. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 95 guest Myles Martin on Twitter at @MyMar184 and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 94 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features Olympic and World silver medalist Brandon Paulson. Paulson is among the elite Greco-Roman athletes in U.S. history. He scored silver medals at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, and the 2001 World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. He qualified for three additional U.S. World Team's throughout his Senior-level career. As a Division I wrestler for the University of Minnesota, Paulson earned NCAA All-America status as a senior in 1998 by finishing in seventh place nationally at 118 pounds. Paulson now coaches alongside fellow Minnesota great Jared Lawrence at the PINnacle Wrestling School in Shoreview, Minnesota. He was a member of the 2008 Olympic coaching staff in Beijing, China. Paulson also coaches with the Minnesota Storm and Minnesota/USA Wrestling staff throughout the year. Topics of discussion include founding PINnacle, coaching philosophies and practices, his competitive career, the 1996 Olympic Games and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 94 guest Brandon Paulson on Twitter at @lovethefight and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 93 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features Trackwrestling's media mogul Andy Hamilton. Hamilton orchestrates the Trackwrestling media coverage across the vast wrestling landscape. Since joining Trackwrestling in 2016, Hamilton has expanded his global wrestling depth of knowledge, covering four World Championships, plus countless college and high school events. Hamilton has been involved in the wrestling community for nearly two decades through stints as a journalist at the Iowa City Press-Citizen and The Des Moines Register. For many years his primary wrestling beat included covering the prestigious University of Iowa program. Topics of discussion include the development of Trackwrestling as a multimedia company, transitioning from the newspaper industry to a full-time wrestling media position, anecdotes of personal growth and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 93 guest Andy Hamilton on Twitter at @Andy_Hamilton and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 92 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features U23 World champion and Rutgers senior Richie Lewis. Lewis won the 70 kg gold medal in men's freestyle wrestling at the U23 World Championships held in Bydgoszcz, Poland, November 21-26. He was one of three medalists at the event for the United States. Lewis is competing in his final season for Rutgers at 165 pounds. He was a NCAA qualifier for the Scarlet Knights in 2016. Prior to attending Rutgers, Lewis was a two-time NJCAA All-American for Iowa Central Community College. Topics of discussion include the U23 World Championships, the intense growth and success of the Rutgers program, personal discovery through injury and life experiences, and much more.

Episode 91 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points features U23 World bronze medalist Ty Walz. Walz won the 97 kg bronze medal in men's freestyle wrestling at the U23 World Championships held in Bydgoszcz, Poland, November 21-16. He was one of three medalists at the event for the United States. Walz was a three-time NCAA All-American and ACC champion for Virginia Tech. He finished his collegiate career with 109 wins, the 10th most in program history. Topics of discussion include the U23 World Championships, experiencing international culture for the first time, wrestling for a rising Virginia Tech program and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 91 guest Ty Walz on Twitter at @T_wiggity_walz and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 90 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast takes a deep dive into the 2017-18 NCAA Division I wrestling season. Join show host Richard Immel and guest Jason Bryant as they give their thoughts on what could go down as one of the greatest NCAA seasons of all-time. Topics of discussion include four wrestlers going for their third individual titles, a team race of epic proportions, Hodge Trophy contenders, historical analysis and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 90 guest host Jason Bryant on Twitter at @jasonmbryant and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 89 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features 2017 Junior World champion Kamal Bey. Bey blitzed the 74 kg/163 lbs. field with one spectacular throw after another to claim America’s first Greco-Roman gold medal at the Junior Worlds since Garrett Lowney did so in 1999. He rattled off a tournament high 61 total points throughout his five matches in Tampere, Finland. He followed up his Junior World title by earning a berth on the U.S. U23 World Team that will comepte in Bydgoszcz, Poland, Nov. 21-26. Bey has been on quite a run this season, picking up Senior-level gold medals at the Bill Farrell International and Dave Schultz Memorial International, on top of a bronze medal at the Grand Prix of Zagreb. He also secured gold at the Austria Open in the Junior division. Domestically, he finished as runner-up at the U.S. World Team Trials and was the U.S. Senior Nationals champion. He was a six-time All-American at the USA Wrestling Cadet and Junior Nationals held in Fargo, N.D., qualifying for the finals on five occasions, and winning the Junior Greco-Roman crown in 2015. Bey was an Illinois high school state champion for powerhouse program Oak Park-River Forest prior to making the move out the to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. to focus strictly on Greco-Roman. Topics of discussion include his marveouls Junior Worlds performance, the offensive Greco-Roman style, the future of U.S. Greco-Roman wrestling and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 89 guest Kamal Bey on Twitter at @ThatManChasin and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 88 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features the U.S. men's freestyle national coaching staff Bill Zadick, Joe Russell and Kevin Jackson. Zadick just completed his first full year as the head coach of the men's freestyle program. He was instrumental in leading the U.S. to its third World title in men's freestyle. Zadick was a World champion in 2006 and a NCAA champion for Iowa in 1996. Russell joined USA Wrestling as the Manager of Freestyle Programs in May. He was a longtime assistant coach at the University of Minnesota before taking over as head coach at George Mason University for six seasons. Jackson returned to USA Wrestling in June as the National Freestyle Developmental Coach. He served as the U.S. National Freestyle Coach from 2000 to 2008 before taking the head coaching position at Iowa State University. Jackson was an Olympic champion in 1992 and a two-time World champion. Topics of discussion include a banner year for U.S. men's freestyle that included a Senor World championship, a Junior World championship and a second-place finish at the Cadet World Championships, plus talk on Regional Training Centers, grassroots development and much more. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 87 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features 2017 Junior World champion Maya Nelson. Nelson topped the 63 kg/139 lbs. weight class in women's freestyle at the 2017 Junior World Championships in Tampere, Finland. She won four matches, including a 6-0 shutout of Bulgaria's Yuliana Yaneva in the gold-medal match, to claim the title. Nelson is now a two-time Junior World medalist. She picked up a bronze in 2016 to go along with her recent gold. Thus far in 2017, Nelson has earned a third-place finish at the U.S. World Team Trials, in addition to second-place finishes at the U.S. Open, Dave Schultz Memorial International and University Nationals. Topics of discussion include a recent trip to India, her Junior Worlds run, growth as a women's wrestler and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 87 guest Maya Nelson on Twitter at @MayaNelson2015 and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 86 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features Olympic champion and four-time World champion Jordan Burroughs. Burroughs picked up his fourth World title out in Paris, France in August. He won five hard-fought bouts to claim the 74 kg/163 lbs. men's freestyle gold medal. In the championship match, Burroughs topped past World champion Khetik Tsabolov of Russia, 9-6. In addition to his individual triumph at the 2017 World Championships, Burroughs' performance was instrumental in the U.S. claiming its third team title at the event, the first since 1995. Burroughs has competed at the Olympic Games on two separate occasions for the U.S. He won the gold medal at the London Games in 2012 and finished in ninth place last year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Burroughs is a four-time World champion, earning the top spot in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017. He also tacked on a bronze medal at the 2014 World Championships. Topics of discussion include his journey back to the top following a dissapointing Olympic Games, how he approached the mental side of the sport over the past year, brining the U.S. a team title and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 86 guest Jordan Burroughs on Twitter at @alliseeisgold and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 85 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features 2017 Junior World champion Daton Fix. Fix topped the 55 kg/121 lbs. men's freestyle charts at the Junior World Championships held in Tampere, Finland, in August. He won five matches on his way to gold, scoring five technical falls and outscoring his opponents by a combined 53-1 tally. The win in Finland added to an already outstanding resume for Fix that includes a Junior World bronze medal, a Cadet World Bronze medal, a Youth Olympic Games silver medal and two Cadet Pan American titles. He has competed in four World Championship events for the U.S., two in the Cadet division and two in the Junior division. Fix was a four-time Oklahoma high school state champion for Charles Page High School, ending his career with a perfect 168-0 record. He was awarded the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2017. The talented youngster will begin his collegiate career this year for the tradition-rich Oklahoma State program. He expects to compete at 125 pounds for the Cowboys. Topics of discussion include his Junior Worlds performance, the recruiting process landing him at Oklahoma State, managing success at a young age, future goals and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 85 guest Daton Fix on Twitter at @_Greatest_Ever1 and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 84 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features two-time World champion and Olympic champion Kyle Snyder. Snyder just capped off his second World Championships appearance with a gold medal at 97 kg after winning a legendary finals showdown against fellow Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev of Russia, 6-5. Snyder's win put the exclamation point on the U.S. winning its third men's freestyle team World title in history. With his performance in Paris, France, Snyder became the eighth American to win multiple World gold medals in men’s freestyle. He joins John Smith, Jordan Burroughs, Lee Kemp, Bruce Baumgartner, Mark Schultz, Kevin Jackson and Terry Brands with this distinction. Including results from the Olympic Games, only Snyder, Smith and Burroughs have won three World-level gold medals in a row. It has been a historic three-year run for the new face of American wrestling. In 2015, Snyder became the youngest American to win a World championship at the age of 19. He set another age record by winning the Rio Olympics at 20. Now he has cemented himself as one of the best pound-for-pound wrestlers in the World by grabbing his third gold. Snyder has one year of college eligibility remaining for Ohio State. He will return to Columbus, Ohio as a senior with two NCAA championships and three finals appearances under his belt. Topics of discussion include the "Match of the Century" against Sadulaev, winning the team title, individual legacy and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 84 guest Kyle Snyder on Twitter at @Snyder_man45 and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 83 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast constitutes part three of a special three-episode series previewing the 2017 UWW Senior World Championships being held at AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France, Aug. 21-26. The tandem of Richard Immel and Jason Bryant fill you in on all the need-to-know intel for the World Championships, including weight-by-weight breakdowns, seeding, contenders, dark horses and much more. Men's freestyle will be contested during the final two days of the World Championships. 57 kg, 61 kg, 86 kg and 125 kg will be wrestled on Friday, August 25. 65 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg and 97 kg will follow on Saturday, August 26. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 82 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast constitutes part two of a special three-episode series previewing the 2017 UWW Senior World Championships being held at AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France, Aug. 21-26. The tandem of Richard Immel and Jason Bryant fill you in on all the need-to-know intel for the World Championships, including weight-by-weight breakdowns, seeding, contenders, dark horses and much more. Women's freestyle will be contested during the third and fourth days of the World Championships. 55 kg, 58 kg, 63 kg and 69 kg will be wrestled on Wednesday, August 23. 48 kg, 53 kg, 60 kg and 69 kg will follow on Thursday, August 24. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 81 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast constitutes part one of a special three-episode series previewing the 2017 UWW Senior World Championships being held at AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France, Aug. 21-26. The tandem of Richard Immel and Jason Bryant fill you in on all the need-to-know intel for the World Championships, including weight-by-weight breakdowns, seeding, contenders, dark horses and much more. Greco-Roman will be contested during the first two days of the World Championships. 71 kg, 75 kg, 85 kg and 98 kg will be wrestled on Monday, August 21. 59 kg, 66 kg, 80 kg and 130 kg will follow on Tuesday, August 22. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application. Subscribe to Bonus Points iTunes | iHeart Radio | Stitcher | Spreaker | Google Play | RSS

On this special "Bonus Bytes" episode of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast, we sit down with Oklahoma State head coach, two time-Olympic champion and four-time World champion John Smith to chat Fargo, the Cowboys and this year's World Team. This episode is one of a special line of shows that will be brought to you from the 2017 Cadet and Junior National Championships held at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application. Subscribe to Bonus Points iTunes | iHeart Radio | Stitcher | Google Play | AudioBoom | RSS

On this special "Bonus Bytes" episode of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast, we sit down with King assistant coach Julia Salata to discuss her many roles in Fargo and her future prospects as an athlete and coach. This episode is one of a special line of shows that will be brought to you from the 2017 Cadet and Junior National Championships held at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application. Subscribe to Bonus Points iTunes | iHeart Radio | Stitcher | Google Play | AudioBoom | RSS

On this special "Bonus Bytes" episode of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast, we sit down with South Dakota State head coach Chris Bono to hit on Fargo topics and get a Jackrabbit update. This episode is one of a special line of shows that will be brought to you from the 2017 Cadet and Junior National Championships held at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application. Subscribe to Bonus Points iTunes | iHeart Radio | Stitcher | Google Play | AudioBoom | RSS

On this special "Bonus Bytes" episode of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast, we sit down with 2012 Olympian and Virginia Tech assistant coach Jared Frayer to chat Fargo experiences and his new role with the Hokies. This episode is one of a special line of shows that will be brought to you from the 2017 Cadet and Junior National Championships held at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application. Subscribe to Bonus Points iTunes | iHeart Radio | Stitcher | Google Play | AudioBoom | RSS

On this special "Bonus Bytes" episode of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast we sit down with two-time U.S. World Team member, NCAA champion and North Carolina assistant coach Tony Ramos to chat Fargo memories, coaching and post-World Team Trials thoughts. This episode is one of a special line of shows that will be brought to you from the 2017 Cadet and Junior National Championships held at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application. Subscribe to Bonus Points iTunes | iHeart Radio | Stitcher | Spreaker | SoundCloud | Google Play | AudioBoom | RSS

On this special "Bonus Bytes" episode of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast we sit down with West Virginia assistant coach and past U.S. World Team member Nick Marable about his Fargo experiences and get a Mountaineer update. This episode is one of a special line of shows that will be brought to you from the 2017 Cadet and Junior National Championships held at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application. Subscribe to Bonus Points iTunes | iHeart Radio | Stitcher | Spreaker | SoundCloud | Google Play | AudioBoom | RSS

On this special "Bonus Bytes" episode of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast we sit down with Iowa State assistant coach and four-time U.S. World Team member Brent Metcalf to chat about his Fargo legend and new role with the Cyclones. This episode is one of a special line of shows that will be brought to you from the 2017 Cadet and Junior National Championships held at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application. Subscribe to Bonus Points iTunes | iHeart Radio | Stitcher | Spreaker | SoundCloud | Google Play | AudioBoom | RSS

On this special "Bonus Bytes" episode of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast we sit down with SIU Edwardsville head coach Jeremy Spates to talk the ascension of SIUE and Fargo experiences. This episode is one of a special line of shows that will be brought to you from the 2017 Cadet and Junior National Championships held at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application. Subscribe to Bonus Points iTunes | iHeart Radio | Stitcher | Spreaker | SoundCloud | Google Play | AudioBoom | RSS

On this special "Bonus Bytes" episode of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast we sit down with Northwestern assistant coach Andrew Howe to chat about his Fargo experiences and first year of coaching for the Wildcats. This episode is one of a special line of shows that will be brought to you from the 2017 Cadet and Junior National Championships held at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application. Subscribe to Bonus Points iTunes | iHeart Radio | Stitcher | Spreaker | SoundCloud | Google Play | AudioBoom | RSS

On this special "Bonus Bytes" episode of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast we sit down with Navy assistant coach Nate Engel to chat about his Fargo experiences and his recent trip to the Maccabiah Games in Israel. This episode is one of a special line of shows that will be brought to you from the 2017 Cadet and Junior National Championships held at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application. Subscribe to Bonus Points iTunes | iHeart Radio | Stitcher | Spreaker | SoundCloud | Google Play | AudioBoom | RSS

On this special "Bonus Bytes" episode of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast we sit down with longtime U.S. official Rusty Davidson to discuss his Fargo experiences. This episode is one of a special line of shows that will be brought to you from the 2017 Cadet and Junior National Championships held at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application. Subscribe to Bonus Points iTunes | iHeart Radio | Stitcher | Spreaker | SoundCloud | Google Play | AudioBoom | RSS

Episode 80 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features two-time Olympian and current University of Maryland head coach Kerry McCoy. McCoy is entering his 10th season as the head coach at Maryland. During his tenure, Maryland has accumulated four top-20 NCAA finishes, three ACC conference championships and seven individual All-Americans combining for 11 such honors. His coaching career includes time at Penn State, Lehigh and Stanford before taking over at Maryland. He is a three-time ACC Coach of the Year recipient. As a competitor, McCoy made the U.S. Olympic Team in 2000 and 2004. He earned a silver medal at the 2003 World Championships and was a member of four U.S. World Team's. He competed collegiately for Penn State where he was a two-time NCAA champion, three-time All-American and Hodge Trophy winner in 1997. McCoy was inducted in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2014. Topics of discussion his coaching career and philosophy, competitive career, memorable moments, rivalries, opportunites and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 80 guest Kerry McCoy on Twitter at @kmac120 and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 79 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features 2017 U.S. World Team member in women's freestyle Becka Leathers. Leathers made her first Senior-level U.S. World Team by winning the U.S. World Team Trials held in Las Vegas, Nev. in April. She will be the 55 kg representative for the U.S. at the World Championships being held in Paris, France, this August. One week after making the World Team, Leathers brought back gold from the Pan American Championships held in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. She has been a member of two Junior World Teams and one Cadet World Team. In 2015, Leathers won a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships. This season, Leathers has won international gold medals at the Bill Farrell International and Dave Schultz Memorial International. She is also a University Nationals champion and past WCWA Women's College Nationals champion. Topics of discussion include securing a berth on the U.S. World Team, her victory at the Pan American Championships, her journey in wrestling and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 79 guest Becka Leathers on Twitter at @TeamBA4Life and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 78 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features U.S. National Women's Coach Erin Vandiver. Vandiver recently accepted the position as the new girls wrestling coach at national high school powerhouse Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School in Kingston, Pa. The Pennsylvania native returns to her home state to lead a brand new accelerated elite girls developmental program, which seeks to attract many of the nation’s top high school girl wrestlers to pursue national and international goals while attending a highly respected academic institution. Vandiver has a proven record of success as an athlete on the high school and international levels, as well as extensive experience coaching age-group wrestlers. One of her key responsibilities for USA Wrestling has been working with the nation’s top Cadet and Junior level women wrestlers, including coaching U.S. age group World Teams. In her role as a coach for the resident-athletes at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Vandiver has also helped numerous U.S. Senior women wrestlers win World and Olympic medals for the United States. She has been a member of the women’s coaching staff at the last two Olympic Games. Competing under her maiden name Erin Tomeo, she was a member of the 2001 and 2006 U.S. World Teams. She won the 2008 U.S. Open and was a four-time U.S. Open runner-up. Erin wrestled at Lock Haven University as a member of the varsity men’s team for the 2001-2002 season. Competing for Grove City High School, she was the first girl in Pennsylvania wrestling history to place at Districts and win a match at the Regional high school boys wrestling tournament. She was also active with USA Wrestling in its age-group women’s programs, and won Cadet World bronze medals in 1998 and 1999. Topics of discussion include taking over the Wyoming Seminary program, her vision for developing women's wrestling, lessons learned through her coaching and athletic careers and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 78 guest Erin Vandiver on Twitter at @QueenT_omeo and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 77 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features newly named head coach at the University of Pittsburgh, Keith Gavin. Gavin takes the reigns of the Panther program after serving as an assistant coach at both Virginia and Oklahoma. He is the 11th head coach in the history of the Pittsburgh wrestling program. On the Senior level, Gavin was a 2013 U.S. World Team member in men's freestyle, two-time U.S. Open champion, six-time U.S. National Team member and 2008 University World bronze medalist. He was a two-time All-American for Pittsburgh, winning the NCAA Championships at 174 pounds in 2008 and finishing as NCAA runner-up in 2007. Topics of discussion include taking over the Pitt program, his vision for the future of Pitt wrestling, what he learned from his international and college careers and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 77 guest Keith Gavin on Twitter at @keithgavin84 and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 76 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features two-time NCAA champion Dean Heil of Oklahoma State University. Heil won his second NCAA championship at 141 pounds this season after posting a perfect 32-0 record. He won the 142nd individual NCAA title in Cowboy history and became the 39th wrestler in program history to win multiple titles. In the NCAA finals, Heil defeated Virginia's Geogre DiCamillo by a 6-3 margin. The two owned a well-established history on the mat dating back to their little league days in Ohio. Heil is riding a 41-match win-streak heding into his senior season. He has placed fourth, first and first during his first three years at the NCAA Championships and is a three-time Big 12 champion. Topics of discussion include consistently performing at the highest level, internal motivation, wrestling in tight matches, what it takes to win the NCAA Championships and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 76 guest Dean Heil on Twitter at @MeanDeanHeil and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 75 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features 2017 NCAA champion Cory Clark of the University of Iowa. Clark capped off his collegiate career by winning the NCAA Division I Championships held at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. He became the 133-pound NCAA champion with wins over Connor Schram of Stanford, Pat D'Arcy of Princeton, Stevan Micic of Michigan, Nathan Tomasello of Ohio State and Seth Gross of South Dakota State. Clark defeated Gross 4-3 in the championship match. Clark finished his Hawkeye career as a four-time NCAA All-American and three-time NCAA finalist as he became the 54th individual in program history to claim a national title. He is the 19th Hawkeye to become a four-time All-American. Topics of discussion include cementing his career with a NCAA title, overcoming the heartbreak of finishing second at the NCAAs two times, what it means to be a part of the Iowa wrestling tradition and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 75 guest Cory Clark on Twitter at @iCoryClark and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 74 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast, presented by KT Tape, features two-time NCAA champion Gabe Dean of Cornell University. Dean just completed a remarkable collegiate career for the Big Red as a four-time NCAA All-American with placements of third, first, first and second at the NCAA Championships. His list of achievements include being a four-time EIWA champion, two-time Ivy League Wrestler of the Year and the Cornell record holder for all-time wins at 152. As a senior, Dean finished with a 35-1 overall record and 20 pins, the highest mark in the NCAA this season. In his final collegiate match, Dean was upset in the NCAA finals by Penn State's Bo Nickal, 4-3. Despite this loss, Dean will go down as one of the top wrestlers in NCAA history, all the while staying true to himself and his personal values. Topics of discussion include his final run at the NCAA Championships, the legacy he built at Cornell, the sustained success of the Cornell program, overcoming adversity and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 74 guest Gabe Dean on Twitter at @DabeGean and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 73 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features top U.S. women's freestyle talent Julia Salata. Salata is fresh off winning her third University Nationals title with a masterful performance at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Canton, Mich. native has seen tremedous success throughout her career. Salata is a two-time WCWA Women's College Nationals champion and four-time college All-American. She won a Univesity World bronze medal in 2014 and was a member of U.S. Junior World Teams in 2012 and 2013. Salata will comepte at either 69 kg or 75 kg at the U.S. World Team Trials in Las Vegas, Nev. this April. She was the 75 kg runner-up at the 2017 U.S. Senior Nationals. On top of her career as an athlete, Salata just completed her first season as an assistant coach at King University, a program that has now won four-straight WCWA team titles. Salata also participates part-time as a freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling official. Topics of discussion include winning a third University Nationals title, being a member of the King wrestling program in multiple capacities, the growth of women's wrestling and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 73 guest Julia Salata on Twitter at @JSalata and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 72 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features 2017 NCAA champion Darian Cruz of Lehigh University. Cruz won the 125-pound title at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships held in St. Louis, Mo., March 16-18. Throuhgout his three-day journey in St. Louis, Cruz defeated Dylan Peters of Northern Iowa, Shakur Laney of Ohio, Sean Fausz of North Carolina State, Thomas Gilman of Iowa and Ethan Lizak of Minnesota to become the 22nd individual to win a NCAA title for Lehigh. Cruz downed the top seed Gilman 4-2 in the semifinals courtesy of a takedown in sudden victory. He secured a 6-3 win over Lizak in the championship match. At the conclusion of his junior campaign for the Mountain Hawks, Cruz owns two NCAA All-American honors and two EIWA conference championships. He finished with a 31-2 record this season. Topics of discussion include his NCAA title run, what it means to accomplish this feat for Lehigh, turning towards a title defense and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 72 guest Darian Cruz on Twitter at @toicruz23 and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

On Episode 71 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast the duo of Richard Immel and Jason Bryant return to break down every aspect of the 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. This year's NCAA bracketology episode features in-depth analysis of all 10 weight classes being contested, team race scenarios, Hodge Trophy discussion, predictions and more off the wall banter. The 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will he beld March 16-18 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 71 guest Jason Bryant on Twitter at @jasonmbryant and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 70 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features the "Magic Man" himself, David Taylor. Taylor is fresh off a landmark performace at the 2017 Freestyle World Cup where he went 4-0 for the U.S. at 86 kg/189 lbs. by defeating two Olympic champions, an Olympic bronze medalist and a Junior World champion over a two-day span. Prior to the World Cup, Taylor won gold medals at four international events with his most recent coming at the 2017 Paris International. He finished in third place at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at 86 kg. Taylor was a two-time NCAA champion, four-time NCAA finalist, two-time Hodge Trophy winner and four-time Big Ten champion for Penn State from 2010 to 2014. He also helped Penn State capture four-straight NCAA championships as a team. Topics of discussion include traveling to Iran for the Freestyle World Cup, his dynamic World Cup performance, Penn State wrestling and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 70 guest David Taylor on Twitter at @magicman_psu and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 69 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features South Dakota State University head coach Chris Bono. Bono is in his fifth season as head coach for the Jackrabbits and has brought new life to the program. SDSU has seen 12 wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Championships under Bono's leadership. This season, SDSU holds a record of 13-4 (7-1 Big 12) and is ranked in the top-20 nationally. South Dakota State now enters a crucial stretch of its season, hosting Purdue in a NWCA National Duals Championship Series bowl followed by a border brawl with North Dakota State this weekend. Bono was a three-time All-American and NCAA champion at Iowa State University from 1994-1997. He ammassed 130 career wins for the Cyclones. On the Senior-level, Bono was a three-time U.S. World Team member in freestyle wrestling. Topics of discussion include the rise of South Dakota State, the National Duals, preparing for the postseason and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 69 guest Chris Bono on Twitter at @ChrisBono and follow show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 68 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast, presented by KT Tape, features one of the top women's freestyle wrestlers in the U.S., Tamyra Mensah. Mensah is fresh off a gold-medal performance at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix held in Krasonyarsk, Russia. She became just the sixth U.S. woman to win the prestigious event, and first to do so since 2010. 2016 was a banner year for the young American talent. Mensah won six medals at international events over the year in addition to her stateside wins at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and U.S. Senior Nationals. Mensah is a senior at Wayland Baptist University where she has already earned three WCWA All-American honors and a national title in 2014. She will look for her second WCWA crown this weekend in Oklahoma City, Okla. Topics of discussion include her performance at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix, her 2016 Olympic journey, ascending levels, and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points show host Richard Immel on Twitter at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 67 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features Duke University's high-flying heavyweight Jacob Kasper. Competing in his junior season for the Blue Devils, Kasper has compiled a 20-1 record with six wins coming by fall and three by major decision. He became Duke's first Southern Scuffle champion in January. Kasper was a NCAA qualifier and ACC runner-up in 2015. He also finished in seventh place at the 2015 U.S. Senior Nationals in Greco-Roman. Topics of discussion include his personal growth on the mat, taking on a new weight class, training Greco-Roman at the Olympic Training Center and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 67 guest Jacob Kasper on Twitter at @jacobakasper and follow show host Richard Immel at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 66 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features United World Wrestling's Tim Foley. Foley has covered wrestling at all levels for over a decade. His current role with United World Wrestling has him oversee the media operations for wrestling's international governing body. He was a NCAA All-American at the University of Virginia in 2004 and later coached at Columbia University while earning his M.S. in Magazine Journalism. Topics of discussion include his personal connection to wrestling, the promotional side of wrestling, the evolution of UWW and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 66 guest Tim Foley on Twitter at @trfoley and follow show host Richard Immel at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 65 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast takes a look back at many of the great wrestling moments from the 2016 calendar year. Richard Immel and Jason Bryant come together once more in a special Short Time-Bonus Points collaboration to reflect on their favorite moments of the past year. Topics of discussion include the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the NCAA Championsips in Madison Square Garden plus much more off-the-wall conversation. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 65 guest Jason Bryant on Twitter at @jasonmbryant and follow show host Richard Immel at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 64 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast, presented by KT Tape, features 2016 World Champion Logan Stieber. The four-time NCAA champion and 2011 Junior World silver medalist made his mark on the international wrestling world with an electrifying gold-medal performance at the 2016 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Stieber stared down an incredibly challenging draw at Worlds, with all four of his opponents ranked highly in the United World Wrestling men’s freestyle rankings at 61 kg/134 lbs. The U.S. gunslinger opened his World title run with a quick 10-0 technical fall over 2015 World bronze medalist Vasyl Shuptar of Ukraine. In the quarterfinals, he topped eventual bronze medalist Akhmed Chakaev of Russia, 13-11, scoring the deciding takedown with five seconds left in the match. Moments later, Stieber secured the match-clinching takedown on Asian silver medalist Behnam Ehsanpoor of Iran with one second remaining in the bout to pull out a 9-8 victory and qualify for the finals. Standing across Stieber in the gold-medal match was 2015 European Games silver medalist Beka Lomtadze of Georgia. Leading 1-0 entering the second frame, Stieber rode his high-powered offense to a comfortable 8-4 decision and his first World championship. Stieber won his fourth NCAA title and the Hodge Trophy for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2015, becoming just the fourth wrestler in NCAA history to accomplish this feat. He is now the first four-time NCAA champion to win a World Championships. Topics of discussion include the thrill of winning a World title, the clutch factor, his up-and-down 2016 season and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 64 guest Logan Stieber on Twitter at @_LogieBear_ and follow show host Richard Immel at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 63 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features University of Michigan freshman Logan Massa. The young Wolverine has taken the NCAA by storm this season, currently holding the No. 2 ranking at 165 pounds and an undefeated 15-0 record. Massa downed NCAA finalist Isaac Jordan of Wisconsin in the finals of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas International to win his first major college tournament and solidify himself as a NCAA title contender. As a redshirt freshman, Massa posted a 13-1 record for Michigan. He won the Eastern Michigan Open, Michigan State Open and finished in second place at the Southern Scuffle. Massa has proven strong on the freestyle side as well. He qualified and competed at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials held last April and placed fourth at the 2016 U.S. Senior Nationals at 74 kg/163 lbs. Topics of discussion include Massa's Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational performance, the high's and low's of his wrestling career thus far, combatting winning with the rise in expectation and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 63 guest Logan Massa on Twitter at @massa_logan and follow show host Richard Immel at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 62 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features current Campbell head coach and hall of fame wrestler Cary Kolat. Kolat finished his career among the most decorated wrestlers in U.S. history. Internationally, he won two World medals in men's freestyle and competed at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. In college, Kolat was a four-time NCAA All-American and two-time NCAA champion. He finished in second and third place at the NCAA Championships for Penn State during his first two years of college. Kolat then transferred to Lock Haven where he won his two NCAA titles. Kolat was a four-time Pennsylvania state champion, boasting an undefeated record in high school. In 2017, Kolat will be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member. Topics of discussion include Kolat's wrestling career, his journey to grow the Campbell University wrestling program, what drove him to his success, how he combatted failure and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 62 guest Cary Kolat on Twitter at @kolat and follow show host Richard Immel at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 61 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast, presented by KT Tape, features Zain Retherford, 2016 NCAA Champion for Penn State. Retherford won his first NCAA title for the Nittany Lions last season at 149 pounds with a 34-0 overall record. Of his 34 wins, 15 were pins, eight came by technical fall and seven were major decisions. In 2016, Retherford was a finalist for the Hodge Trophy, awarded annually to the best college wrestler, and was awarded the NCAA's most dominant wrestler award. Retherford enters his junior campaign as a two-time NCAA All-American, two-time Big Ten finalist and Big Ten champion. He also finished in third place at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and was a 2012 Cadet World champion in freestyle. Topics of discussion include Retherford's wrestling journey, growing up on a farm in rural Pennsylvania, the outlook of Penn State this year and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 61 guest Zain Retherford on Twitter at @zaintrain_psu and follow show host Richard Immel at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 60 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features four-time NCAA All-American, U.S. World Team member and Indiana associate head coach Nick Simmons. Dubbed the East Lansing Strangler for his punishing wrestling style, Simmons was a staple on the U.S. men's freestyle scene from 2004 until he announced his retirement in 2015. Simmons finished in fifth place at the 2011 Senior World Championships held in Istanbul, Turkey. He was a runner-up at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Wrestling collegiately for Michigan State, Simmons earned four NCAA All-American honors with finishes of third, fourth, fourth and seventh at the NCAA Championships. He was a three-time Big Ten Champion for the Spartans, racking up 138 collegiate wins with 46 coming by fall. Simmons was one of the top high school wrestlers in U.S. history with 211 overall wins, only three of which not coming by pin or technical fall. He was a four-time Michigan state champion and three time Junior National champion. Topics of discussion include the Simmons family Thanksgiving tradition, the outlook of this year's Indiana squad and examining his wrestling career. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 60 guest Nick Simmons on Twitter at @Elstrangler and follow show host Richard Immel at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 59 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features author, motivational speaker and teacher Coyte Cooper. Cooper recently published his second book entitled Make Your Mark that examines the intricacies of living a remarkable life. He graduated with a PH.D. in sports marketing and management from Indiana University and recently finished a stint at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill as a marketing professor. On the wrestling mat, Cooper was a NCAA All-American at Indiana, a three-three time Washington high school state champion and three-time age-group World Team member. Topics of discussion include Cooper's Make Your Mark book, the marking side of wrestling and what he learned from his days on the mat. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 59 guest Coyte Cooper on Twitter at @coytecooper and follow show host Richard Immel at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

In Episode 58 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast Richard Immel and Jason Bryant take an in-depth look at the upcoming NCAA Division I wrestling season. Topics of discussion range from returning NCAA champions looking to repeat, potential newcomers who could shake the college landscape, how the team race will play out and, of course, predictions on who will win the NCAA Championships. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 58 guest Jason Bryant on Twitter at @jasonmbryant and follow show host Richard Immel at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.

Episode 57 of the USA Wrestling Bonus Points podcast features USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. Bender has been an employee of USA Wrestling for 29 years and has served as the organization’s chief executive officer for 14 years, leading USA Wrestling through a period of growth and expanded service. Topics of discussion include the current state of USA Wrestling, the 2016 Olympic Games, growth of wrestling from the youth levels all the way to the Senior-level and much more. Follow USA Wrestling Bonus Points Ep. 57 guest Rich Bender on Twitter at @rsbender and follow show host Richard Immel at @Richard_Immel. Listen to previous episodes of the show on the USA Wrestling Bonus Points Archives or by subscribing on your favorite podcast listening application.