In the previous technique blog we covered finishing a single leg on the mat (HERE) and I mention in that post that this is a very tough position for incoming freshman to finish. Equally, if not more challenging for the incoming freshman is countering the single. There just seem to be a few key points… Continue reading Technique Blog: Counter to Head Inside Single Leg (Baseline)
The Technique Blog: Finishing a Single Leg on the Mat (Baseline)
Finishing a single leg is one of the toughest positions for high school wrestlers to adjust to in college. Generally, if you get in deep on a single and don't score the takedown it is probably because you do not have the proper head position and are not driving in the right direction. The head… Continue reading The Technique Blog: Finishing a Single Leg on the Mat (Baseline)
Newsletter 3.13: Conviction Over Consensus (Stanford 28-6 Over #12 UNC Win Recap)
It was a fun trip to Chapel Hill. The team wrestled well and earned a 28–6 win over No. 12 North Carolina on their home mat. That is not easy to do in this conference, and I am proud of the way our guys competed. I will get to the match breakdown in a moment.… Continue reading Newsletter 3.13: Conviction Over Consensus (Stanford 28-6 Over #12 UNC Win Recap)
Newsletter 3.12: Fun, Free, and Full of Grit When We Need It (Win Over #12 Pitt Recap)
Fun, Free, and Full of Grit When We Need It I spend a lot of time as a coach trying to figure out how to get our wrestlers to have great performances. A big part of that is helping them recognize that this sport, while incredibly tough and demanding, is fun. My coach always told… Continue reading Newsletter 3.12: Fun, Free, and Full of Grit When We Need It (Win Over #12 Pitt Recap)
Newsletter 3.10: Servant Leadership & A Call To Action
Friends of Stanford Wrestling, Our new athletic director, John Donahoe, talks often about servant leadership. In a traditional leadership model, the leader sits at the top of the organization. They define the vision, set the goals, and everyone below works to serve that leader in pursuit of the mission. Servant leadership flips that structure. The… Continue reading Newsletter 3.10: Servant Leadership & A Call To Action
Newsletter 3.9: Cal Poly & Alumni Day/Dept Update/NCAA’s/Last Two Duals
Friends of Stanford Wrestling, On Friday night, we returned to Burnham Pavilion. It’s a space that holds decades of Stanford wrestling memories, and it felt right to be back there for a night that brought together current Cardinal and alumni alike. Burnham was loud, tight, and rowdy in the best way, a fun change of… Continue reading Newsletter 3.9: Cal Poly & Alumni Day/Dept Update/NCAA’s/Last Two Duals
Newsletter 3.8: Va Tech & UVA/NCAA Info
Newsletter 3.8: Finding a Way Home Finding a Way Forward and a Way Home There are weekends that test you on the mat.And then there are weekends that test everything else. Our trip to Virginia to face Virginia Tech and Virginia ended up being both. From the moment we arrived, it was clear this weekend… Continue reading Newsletter 3.8: Va Tech & UVA/NCAA Info
Newsletter 3.7: NC State Recap
Newsletter 3.7: Finding a way to lose and finding a way to learn There are losses that sting because you did not show up.And then there are losses that hurt because you did. Friday night against NC State was the second kind. We wrestled with real effort. We competed. We put ourselves in position to… Continue reading Newsletter 3.7: NC State Recap
Newsletter 3.6: NC State/Duke Results
I haven't been here very long, but with each month that passes I am more and more impressed with the wrestling culture in California. The passion for the sport is intense. Because of this California has always produced great wrestlers. The history here is deep, even if the landscape has changed. Over the years, too… Continue reading Newsletter 3.6: NC State/Duke Results
Newsletter 3.4: ISU, Midlands, PSU/NDSU
There are certain days that feel like a marker on the road. Not because everything went perfectly, but because you can sense the program shifting underneath your feet. Sunday, January 4, 2026 was one of those days. We hosted No. 4 Iowa State at Maples Pavilion and fell 20-18 in a dual that came down… Continue reading Newsletter 3.4: ISU, Midlands, PSU/NDSU
Newsletter 3.3: CKLV and Mike Wood
Every year at the Cliff Keen Invitational I am reminded of how our sport is built. It is shaped by two kinds of people. There are the visible builders whose names become part of wrestling history. And there are the quiet builders whose influence is just as real, even if it lives behind the scenes.… Continue reading Newsletter 3.3: CKLV and Mike Wood
Newsletter 3.2 First Four Competitions 25-26
My college coach used to joke, the key to happiness in life is lowering your expectations until they are already met. I guess I was not very coachable on that one, as my expectations were sky high heading into the early part of the season. But this first month has tested us. We have had… Continue reading Newsletter 3.2 First Four Competitions 25-26