In the House (Thursday): Greco-Roman heroes, Veterans wrestlers and a few more legends close out week

World medalist and NMU NTS Greco-Roman head coach Andy Bisek. Photo by Adam Engel.


We will wind down this year’s postings of In the House for Fargo week. With the largest Junior & 16U Nationals ever held, the floor on the Fargodome was loaded all week. With so many athletes and coaches around, it may have been more difficult to find people for this story.


Since we are doing only Greco-Roman today, we found some other great U.S. wrestlers from our Greco-Roman past.


World champion Joe Warren, who is the last U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to claim a World title in 2006, was in the house. Not sure why, but anytime Joe Warren is around, the excitement level goes up. The Baddest Man on the Planet as he has become known, went on to star in MMA after his Greco-Roman days were over.


Two-time World bronze medalist and Olympian Andy Bisek was here for his current job as the head coach of the Greco-Roman program at the National Training Site at Northern Michigan University. This event may be the best place to harvest top talent who want to continue Greco-Roman while getting a college education. His assistant coach Parker Betts, who also wrestled at NMU, was here as well. (And yes, Bisek's stache is doing well).


We ran into another Senior World Team member in Jason Klohs, who has a strong connection to Minnesota wrestling from youth to college to the intenational level. Add in current Greco-Roman star and also a World Team member in Pat Smith, who is also here.


There were a few folks we didn’t get into our last feature who were not affiliated with the Greco-Roman event but are worth a mention. Cliff Cushard, the head women’s coach at Adrian, was here last night. Cushard is a leader in women’s college wrestling and has build a nice program at Adrian.


One of the college assistants we didn’t include was Earl Hall at Northern Colorado. Earl is helping coach a state team, and is still here coaching during Greco-Roman.


Every year, two-time Veterans World champion Chris Brown helps document the members of the U.S. Veterans World Team who are here in a coaching role. These adult athletes are often helping coach clubs and state teams in their home community, many who come to Fargo to work with the young athletes. This year, Brown identified the following Veterans wrestlers at the Dome: Rudy James, Brad Brosious, Mike Tuck, Jordin Humphrey, Rich Manning, Wolf Estrada, Brett Clark and Nick Hull, Wrestling continues to flourish when coaches pass on their knowledge to the newest generation.


We created a legend category this year for this column, and really need to include Sandy Stevens. She has announced every Junior Nationals event held except one, so this makes is a full 50 years that Sandy has been the voice of this amazing tournament. She has not only made sure this event was held with a high level of excellence, she has also become a historian about this event specifically, as well as the sport of wrestling.


We also need to add Joan Fulp, USA Wrestling’s Second Vice President, to the legend list. Working along with Andrea Yamamoto on the USA Wrestling Girls Development Committee, she has spearheaded the amazing growth of high school wrestling for girls. Just a few years ago, we had just six states with official girls championships. We are now up to 36, with a number of others really close to adding. You don’t hold the largest girls wrestling tournament ever (with almost 1,000 entries) without a thriving high school level. Joan was here all week supporting the event, giving out awards and making a difference.

IN THE HOUSE – So far this week in Fargo… (as of July 19)

Olympic champions - Bruce Baumgartner, Kevin Jackson, Jordan Burroughs,

World champions – Joe Warren, Clarissa Chun, Bruce Baumgartner, Kevin Jackson, Zeke Jones, Les Gutches, Jordan Burroughs

Olympic medalists – Clarissa Chun, Bruce Baumgartner, Kevin Jackson, Zeke Jones, Brandon Paulson, Jordan Burroughs, Tervel Dlagnev

World medalists: Andy Bisek,Alyssa Lampe, James Green, Clarissa Chun, Bruce Baumgartner, Kevin Jackson, Zeke Jones, Brandon Eggum, Shawn Sheldon, Daniel Cormier, Brandon Paulson, Les Gutches, Ali Bernard, Andre Metzger, Becka Leathers, Tervel Dlagnev, Jordan Burroughs,

Olympians: Andy Bisek, Clarissa Chun, Bruce Baumgartner, Kevin Jackson, Shawn Sheldon, Eric Guerrero, Zeke Jones, Daniel Cormier, Les Gutches, Ali Bernard, Ike Anderson, Brandon Paulson, Jordan Burroughs, Robby Smith, Steve Mocco, Ben Askren, Tervel Dlagnev, Haley Augello, Georgi Ivanov

World Team members: Jason Klohs, Andy Bisek, Pat Smith, Joe Warren, Clarissa Chun, James Green, Bruce Baumgartner, Kevin Jackson, Zeke Jones, Shawn Sheldon, Eric Guerrero, Brandon Eggum, Chris Bono, Daniel Cormier, Brandon Paulson, Les Gutches, John Oostendorp, Ali Bernard, Veronica Carlson, Ike Anderson, Doug Schwab, Keith Gavin, Andre Metzger, Zach Rey, Joe Betterman, Deanna Betterman, Danny Felix, Robby Smith, Obe Blanc

NCAA Div. I champions: Cory Clark (Iowa), Chris Pendleton (Oklahoma State), Bruce Baumgartner (Indiana State), Eric Guerrero (Oklahoma State), Mike Sheets (Oklahoma State), Chris Bono (Iowa State), Jon Reader (Iowa State), Derek St. John (Iowa), Alan Fried (Oklahoma State), Andre Metzger (Oklahoma), Joe Dubuque (Indiana), Doug Schwab (Iowa), Les Gutches (Oregon State), Jayson Ness (Minnesota), Zach Rey (Lehigh), Jared Lawrence (Minnesota), Ben Askren (Missouri, Max Askren (Missouri), Steve Mocco (Iowa/Oklahoma State), Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska)

NCAA Div. II champions: Tervel Dlagnev (UN-Kearney), Georgi Ivanov (UN-Omaha)

WCWA women’s champions: Emily Webster Dew (Oklahoma City), Julia Salata (King), Cody Pfau (Oklahoma City), Jessica Rottier (Cumberlands), Becka Leathers (Oklahoma City),

NAIA women’s champion: McKayla Campbell (Campbellsville)

NCWWC champions (NCAA): Alara Boyd (McKendree), Jessika Rottier (UW-Stevens Point)

Masters/Veterams wrestlers – Chris Brown, Rudy James, Brad Brosious, Mike Tuck, Jordin Humphrey, Rich Manning, Wolf Estrada, Brett Clark, Nick Hull

Head Men’s College Coaches – Chris Pendleton of Oregon State and Mike Poeta of Illinois. Add in Dana Vote of Doane, Jake Kadel of Iowa Wesleyan, Jake Lords of Carl Albert State, Chandler Minnard of Defiance.Brandon Eggum of Minnesota, Zeke Jones of Arizona State, Neil Erisman of Little Rock, Chris Bono of Wisconsin, Sam Barber of Air Force, Dan Wirnsberger of Bucknell, Mike Grey of Cornell, Jordan Leen of Brown, Ned Shuck of Bellarmine, Troy Nickerson of Northern Colorado, Jason Borrelli of American, Aaron Scott of William Penn, Keith Gavin of Pitt, Damian Hahn of South Dakota State, Chris Ayres of Princeton, Roger Reina of Penn, Frank Beasley of George Mason, Doug Schwab of Northern Iowa, Leo Kocher of Chicago, Trevor Kittleson of UW-Platteville, Chayse Jackson of Southwest Minnesota State, John Oostendorp of Coe, Peter Hanson of Emory and Henry, Bruce Haberli of NYU, Roger Kish of North Dakota State, Luke Smith of Cal-State Bakersfield, Jason Reitmeier of Augustana, Blake Roulo of Averett, Brandon Bradley of Nebraska Wesleyan, Ryan Riggs of Mount Union

Head Women’s College Coaches - Cliff Cushard of Adrian, Clarissa Chun of Iowa, Alexio Garcia of McKendree, Brandy Green of Limestone, Lee Miracle of Campbellsville, Paulina Biega of Sacred Heart, Dana Vote of Doane, Brady Kyner of Wartburg, Jake Kadel of Iowa Wesleyan, Alijah Jeffery of Chadron State, Devane Dodgens of Brewton-Parker, Paul Rademacher of Indiana Tech, Shannyn Gillespie of Lakeland, Connor Lapresi of Ferrum

Assistant College Men’s Coaches: Earl Hall of Northern Colorado, Nate Engel of Oregon State, Chris Perry of Oklahoma State, Tsogtbayar Tserndagva of Doane, Zack Wilcox of Doane, Cash Wilcke of Iowa Western, Zachary Revier of Avila, Blake Andrews of Carl Albert State, Alyssa Lampe of Linfield, Earl Walker of Northern Colorado, Kevin LeValley of Bucknell, Lee Pritts of Arizona State, Jon Reader of Wisconsin, Derek St. John of Iowa State, Joey Dance of American, Jason Chamberlain of Utah Valley, McCade Ford of Wyoming, Lee Roper of UNI, Kevin Jackson of Michigan, Josh Churella of Michigan, Jake Sueflohn of Purdue, Brendan Murphy of Bellarmine, Zeke Andrade of Northern State, Zach Esposito of Oklahoma State, Ryan Morningstar of Iowa, Brad Dillon of Lehigh, Wynn Michalak of Campbell, B.J. Futrell of Penn, Muzafar Abdurachmanov of Harvard, Joe Dubuque of Indiana, Elroy Perkin of Cal Baptist, Grant Zamin of North Central, Austin Marsden of North Dakota State, Adam Hall of NC State, Zach Rey of Lehigh, Drew Headlee of Pitt, Joe Nord of Columbia, Eric Morrill of Bucknell, Colin Heffernan of Central Michigan, Matt Stencel of Central Michigan, Chad Walsh of Davidson

Assistant College Women’s Coaches: Sarah Allen of the Cumberlands, Jay Perez of the Cumberlands, Darren Wynn of Indian Hills CC, Landon Williams of Wartburg, Tsogtbayar Tserndagva of Doane, Cash Wilcke of Iowa Western, Kasey Kruszek of Campbellsville, Zachary Revier of Avila, Alyssa Lampe of Linfield, Gary Mayabb of Iowa, Jessika Rottier of Gannon, McKayla Campbell of Campbellsville

RTC Coaches: Jeff Buxton of Scarlet Knight WC


NMU NTS coaches – Andy Bisek, Parker Betts

Legends: Joan Fulp, Sandy Stevens, Ron Mirikitani, Rick Tucci

State Association Coaches – Geneva Gray of Utah,

Current National Team member - Pat Smith, Tanner Farmer, Jordan Burroughs, Ronna Gross,

Past National Team members: Na’Tasha Umemoto, Ku’u Robinson, Koral Sugiyama, Deron Winn,