Wrestling411 » USOEC

Dennis Hall goes back to school at Northern Michigan

411 — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:00:40 +0000

Dennis Hall, a 1995 World Champion and 1996 Olympic Silver Medalist, has been named the new head coach at the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan. Hall, a stalwart on the Greco-Roman scene through the 1990s, will lead the Greco-Roman athletes in a post vacated earlier this year by Ivan Ivanov.

For Hall, a Wisconsin native, the journey is two-fold. First is to continue to build world-level Greco-Roman athletes from the USOEC, and the second, to finish his degree.

List to what Hall has to say about his new post.

Gordy Morgan says yes to wrestling and no to burnout

Kyle Klingman — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:00:05 +0000

Gordy Morgan knows wrestling at all levels. As the club coach at the University of Minnesota he teaches college and post-college wrestlers. But Morgan also coaches youth level, working with kids at the state and national level at tournaments across the country.

Morgan, Greco-Roman Olympian in 1996, says American folkstyle wrestling is the king of all styles…but he is aware that focusing on Greco-Roman or freestyle exclusively can be an advantage internationally. And as the first head coach at the United States Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan, Morgan knows firsthand what that program has done for the sport.

Morgan chimes in on a variety of topics — including the burnout myth — with Wrestling 411.

R.C. Johnson breaks through at 96kg to make first World Team

411 — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:23:16 +0000

R.C. Johnson was set to head to Augsburg College to wrestle and play football after graduating high school in the Twin Cities. Then, four days before school started, he got some information from Northern Michigan about its fledgling USOEC Greco-Roman program.

In a weight known for World & Olympic medalists like Garrett Lowney, Justin Ruiz and Adam Wheeler, Johnson makes his first World Team and looks to continue the tradition. But Johnson isn’t some dumb jock, the Computer Science major is putting his degree to work for him while working towards a World Championship.

Northern Michigan’s Spenser Mango preps for first World Championship

411 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:41:19 +0000

Coming out of high school, Spenser Mango was set to go to Division II Truman State. Then Ivan Ivanov started pestering Mango. Then he started doing it more. Then more. Of course, all this was taking place in Fargo, N.D., at the Junior Nationals. When Ivanov got a chance to show Mango what Northern Michigan had to offer, the career of the St. Louis native changed forever.

What does Mango have in mind to prepare for the 2009 World Championships? How has Greco been most exciting for him? Find out by listening below.