Ryan Blees Transferring to Virginia Tech

[Christopher Moen]

Sure wish he was at NDSU instead. http://www.flowrestling.org/article/...-virginia-tech

[Big Bird]

He would've been a great fit at NDSU, but it sounds like they weren't a consideration. We're pretty well set with Bengston at 149, Clay at 157, and Fogarty at 165, but you'd love to add a talent like Blees to the mix.

[BisoninNWMN]

He would've been a great fit at NDSU, but it sounds like they weren't a consideration. We're pretty well set with Bengston at 149, Clay at 157, and Fogarty at 165, but you'd love to add a talent like Blees to the mix.

Too bad. He is better than those 3 guys we have at those weights right now.

[Christopher Moen]

He would've been a great fit at NDSU, but it sounds like they weren't a consideration. We're pretty well set with Bengston at 149, Clay at 157, and Fogarty at 165, but you'd love to add a talent like Blees to the mix.

I apologize if my statement came out wrong, but my wishing to have Blees on the NDSU roster wasn't meant as a slight to anyone currently at his weight, however, I'm just wishing NDSU was winning its own state.

What's amazing about about Blees leaving along with Marsteller (heading to Lock Haven) due to Joe Smith's emergence at the weight class is how on Earth does schools like Oklahoma State get all these studs when there is only 10 rosters spots and 9.9 scholarships to fill them. Even if they are splitting the schollies in halves or thirds, it's amazing that smaller schools can't convince some of these guys with full rides. I think what helps OSU at this weight is that Joe is the son of the coach and probably isn't counting against the school's scholarships.

[Tony Almeida]

I apologize if my statement came out wrong, but my wishing to have Blees on the NDSU roster wasn't meant as a slight to anyone currently at his weight, however, I'm just wishing NDSU was winning its own state.

What's amazing about about Blees leaving along with Marsteller (heading to Lock Haven) due to Joe Smith's emergence at the weight class is how on Earth does schools like Oklahoma State get all these studs when there is only 10 rosters spots and 9.9 scholarships to fill them. Even if they are splitting the schollies in halves or thirds, it's amazing that smaller schools can't convince some of these guys with full rides. I think what helps OSU at this weight is that Joe is the son of the coach and probably isn't counting against the school's scholarships.

It's crazy what a name and the prestige can do...Big 12, OK St., and hey, it's John Smith.

[Christopher Moen]

It's crazy what a name and the prestige can do...Big 12, OK St., and hey, it's John Smith.

John is a pretty good dude. Just don't play him in anything if you don't want to be humbled. He's one of those guys that seems to be good at everything. Good thing for the USA, he was small and from a wrestling background.

[BisoninNWMN]

I apologize if my statement came out wrong, but my wishing to have Blees on the NDSU roster wasn't meant as a slight to anyone currently at his weight, however, I'm just wishing NDSU was winning its own state.

What's amazing about about Blees leaving along with Marsteller (heading to Lock Haven) due to Joe Smith's emergence at the weight class is how on Earth does schools like Oklahoma State get all these studs when there is only 10 rosters spots and 9.9 scholarships to fill them. Even if they are splitting the schollies in halves or thirds, it's amazing that smaller schools can't convince some of these guys with full rides. I think what helps OSU at this weight is that Joe is the son of the coach and probably isn't counting against the school's scholarships.

The "lure" of a big program. The Gophers have always plucked very good wrestlers from ND over the years. Kids like Travis Lang out of Bismarck would have been the big fish at NDSU and he was buried on the depth chart at the U of M then transferred to Augsburg...iirc. Or the Mellmer boys from Dickinson. Glasser out of Bismarck had a good career at the U of M.

Hopefully, in the future, the Bison can get some of these in state kids.

[17>1]

I apologize if my statement came out wrong, but my wishing to have Blees on the NDSU roster wasn't meant as a slight to anyone currently at his weight, however, I'm just wishing NDSU was winning its own state.

What's amazing about about Blees leaving along with Marsteller (heading to Lock Haven) due to Joe Smith's emergence at the weight class is how on Earth does schools like Oklahoma State get all these studs when there is only 10 rosters spots and 9.9 scholarships to fill them. Even if they are splitting the schollies in halves or thirds, it's amazing that smaller schools can't convince some of these guys with full rides. I think what helps OSU at this weight is that Joe is the son of the coach and probably isn't counting against the school's scholarships.

Gotta think competition in the wrestling room and the coaching staff is a draw as well. As you're fully aware, there's a lot of wrestling that can be done outside of the college scene. And if a kid has aspirations to compete internationally, then why not go wrestle the kid in practice that you'll end up meeting at the trials? After saying that, I guess I don't see too many guys from the same college background squaring off much at the trials, but I think you understand my thoughts on this.

[Christopher Moen]

Gotta think competition in the wrestling room and the coaching staff is a draw as well. As you're fully aware, there's a lot of wrestling that can be done outside of the college scene. And if a kid has aspirations to compete internationally, then why not go wrestle the kid in practice that you'll end up meeting at the trials? After saying that, I guess I don't see too many guys from the same college background squaring off much at the trials, but I think you understand my thoughts on this.

Thanks to Zeke Jone's efforts, the Regional Training Centers (RTC's) were something that really took off about five years in order to keep our best freestyle wrestlers training all year in freestyle while also being able to make money as assistants. Since then, they have flourished as big-time recruiting tools and are now a part of the arms race between the Nation's best programs. Right now, I believe Ohio State has the best in the Nation under Lou Rosselli. We'll have to see if that success continues there if he gets the USAW head coaching job after the Olympics.

In regards to guys wrestling each other at the Trials, probably not as much in freestyle due to how few qualify at each weight, but they do see each other a lot in our International Competitions (Bill Ferrell International, Dave Schultz Memorial, etc.) and World Team Camps held here in Colorado Springs numerous times throughout the year. It's a good system, unless your name is Tony Ramos.