James Nicholson, a two-time All-American and recent inductee into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame, joins the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast on Episode 71. Nicholson, a Des Moines, Iowa native, came to Old Dominion as one of coach Steve Martin's first major out-of-state recruits. A finalist at the USA Wrestling Junior Freestyle national championships and an Iowa State champion, Nicholson had quite the adjustment to college wrestling. He breaks down his path to ODU, his development and what he's doing ...
Feb 14, 2020•47 min
Coming off a fifth-place finish at the 40th annual Virginia Duals in the National College Division, Episode 70 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast returns with Associate Head Coach Daryl Thomas. After eight duals in two weeks, the Monarchs come into this weekend's duals with Lock Haven and Rider with a 3-7 dual mark. ODU will host Lock Haven on Friday night at Chartway Arena, while Rider comes in on Sunday afternoon. Coach Thomas will talk about the experience at the South Beach Duals and which...
Jan 15, 2020•22 min
Steve Bleise is a Michigan native and a four-time NCAA qualifier. He spent his last two years at Minnesota and has joined the Old Dominion wrestling coaching staff as a volunteer assistant for the 2019-20 season. On Episode 69 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast, we introduce Bleise (pronounced Bl-ice) to #MonarchNation and talk about his run-ins with ODU wrestlers in the past, his relationship with Daryl Thomas, his kinship with head coach Steve Martin and his season and career goals. There's ...
Dec 20, 2019•27 min
Daryl Thomas returns to the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast to look back at the dual loss against No. 9 NC State, a match the Monarch coaching staff believe they could have won. Coach Thomas explains why, as well as going match-by-match on what ODU needs to improve upon. Coach Thomas also briefly talks about Kevin Beazley's freestyle event in New York City as he tries to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials this coming April as well as a look ahead to Season Tickets Link: Click Here And rememb...
Nov 20, 2019•27 min
Wrestling season is here and on Episode 67 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast, we catch up with ODU head wrestling coach Steve Martin and look at the lineup we expect to see on the mat this year. The entire squad will head down to Charleston, South Carolina and compete at The Battle at The Citadel and compete for starting spots, since not everything was determined at the recent Blue-Silver intrasquad. Coach Martin also talks about the ranked teams on the schedule, as No. 25 Old Dominion will f...
Oct 31, 2019•27 min
Episode 66 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast, today, we visit with associate head coach Daryl Thomas. Practice has started and a new season of Monarch wrestling is here. On today’s show, we’ll break down the opening week of practice and talk about this year’s schedule and the opponents we’ll see coming to The Ted this year and what road trips Monarch Nation can be prepared to see around the country. Before we start, thanks to all the feedback received from #MonarchNation about the previous ep...
Oct 17, 2019•32 min
On August 27, 2019, former ODU Monarch wrestler and coach Jamie Kelly passed away suddenly. On Episode 65 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast, we honor the memory of our friend and fellow Monarch. This episode features a number of stories and interviews about JK, presented in a manner to serve as a memorial episode. This episode features ODU alum and Kelly's first high school coach Wayne Martin, as well as other ODU alums Curt Krazer, Matt Small, Jeff Rusak, and Mark Strickland. ODU head coach ...
Sep 28, 2019•51 min
Episode 64 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast visits with one of the newest members of the wrestling coaching staff, 2017 NCAA Division I All-American Kevin Beazley. The former 197-pounder returns to the area after competing at the University of Michigan for his final year of eligibility and working towards his master's degree. An injury derailed his last run at the NCAA championships in 2018 for Michigan, but now Beazley turns his focus to coaching. Beazley will talk about the outgoing coache...
Jul 11, 2019•37 min
Episode 63 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast is live with Associate head coach Daryl Thomas. Coach Thomas gives Monarch Nation a recap of the postseason lineup after an All-American finish by Larry Early and a Round of 12 finish by Michael McGee. Sa'Derian Perry also qualified for the NCAA championships. We'll also quickly discuss the ODU wrestling golf outing set for May 3 at Sewell's Point as well as the academic accolades the wrestling program has received over the past few weeks. Coach Th...
May 02, 2019•28 min
Old Dominion earned its 19th Division I All-American accolade in Pittsburgh at the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Junior 157-pounder Larry Early finished eighth at 157 pounds to become the 16th individual Division I All-American in school history. On Episode 62 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast, we talk with Early, an Illinois native who started his career at the University of Minnesota. We'll also provide some info on how the three Monarchs did at the NCAA Division I Champions...
Mar 29, 2019•46 min
On Episode 61 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast, we meet Ragean Hill, Associate Athletic Director for Student Athlete Academic Services and the Senior Women's Administrator. Hill will talk about her background, the influence of academic advising and the shifts over the years. She'll also break down how things work in regards to APR with revenue and non-revenue sports and outline her responsibilities with the MAC Wrestling Championships and her relationship with the ODU wrestling program. The ...
Mar 05, 2019•52 min
The Mid-American Conference will be hosting its conference wrestling championship at Old Dominion University's Ted Constant Convocation Center on March 8-9 and to talk about the impact on the school and revenue is Associate A.D. of Revenue and Marketing, Dr. Jason Chandler. Chandler talks about his course through sports, starting in his native North Carolina and how he's pursued degrees in higher education before landing in Norfolk in 2012. Chandler breaks down how busy seasons work for him and ...
Feb 15, 2019•46 min
Associate head coach Daryl Thomas gives Monarch Wrestling fans a mid-season breakdown as the wrestling squad heads into a pair of weekend dual meets with SIU Edwardsville and Duke. SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Google Play Music | RSS | Android App | iOS App JOIN THE TEAM And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a TEAM MEMBER today. There are various levels of perks for th...
Jan 25, 2019•23 min
There were a number of Old Dominion wrestling alumni coaching at the 2019 Virginia Duals at the Hampton Coliseum over the weekend. Four teams in the Southeastern District - Great Bridge, Grassfield, Hickory and Oscar Smith - are all led by ODU wrestling alums. The most recent episode of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast talks with Jesse Pearce from Grassfield, Matt Small from Great Bridge and Donald Motley from Oscar Smith to talk about the dynamic of coaching against your former teammates and w...
Jan 14, 2019•32 min
Old Dominion head wrestling coach Steve Martin breaks down the loss to NC State on Friday and prepares for an upcoming battle with former pupil Matt Storniolo as the Monarchs head to Evanston, Illinois to take on Northwestern on December 7. All that and some anecdotes from Coach Martin on how he still hassles high school officials on the latest edition of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast. SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Google Play Music | RSS...
Dec 06, 2018•38 min
Josh Tyler was part of the ODU Monarch wrestling program during Gray Simons last year as the head coach and bridged the gap of athletes who were in the program when current coach Steve Martin took over the program. Tyler, who has spent time fighting in Mixed Martial Arts and creating his own company called Savage Gentleman, recaps what got him into wrestling, how he ended up at ODU and what it was like to endure his first season of college wrestling and then the toughness that was needed to surv...
Nov 30, 2018•1 hr 5 min
Associate head coach Daryl Thomas kicks off the fifth season of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast as we recap the Princeton Open and preview the lineup coming up on November 11 against Missouri. There's still questions as to who is going to be wrestling at which weights this year, but we also talk depth and what to expect with the WHITEOUT at The Ted on Sunday. SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Google Play Music | RSS | Android App | iOS App JOIN...
Nov 06, 2018•34 min
Coach Steve Martin talks about the recent departure of his longtime assistant Mike Dixon as we introduce a new school year in Norfolk for Episode 53 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast. Coach Martin talks about how Dixon found his way to Norfolk and some of the stories that go with it, as well as the promotion of Daryl Thomas and hiring of Steven Rodrigues. We'll also dive into some of the scheduling, events and the layout of the MAC with Eastern Michigan dropping the sport and SIU Edwardsville...
Sep 04, 2018•33 min
Daryl Thomas returns to the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast just days before he's getting married. It's been a hectic schedule for Thomas, who is entering his second year on staff and first as the Associate Head Coach, a promotion he received over the summer. On Episode 52, Thomas talks about how the transition has been and what he learned from outgoing assistant Mike Dixon, who took a job at his alma mater at Indiana, and the process of how he helped bring a former teammate, Steven Rodrigues, on ...
Jul 30, 2018•24 min
Episode 51 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast visits with the newest member of Monarch Nation, assistant coach Steven Rodrigues. The New York native and All-American from the University of Illinois is reunited with former teammate Daryl Thomas and Rodrigues is already hitting the ground running with his new post in Norfolk. We get to meet Rodrigues, find out how he was introduced to wrestling, his move up three weight classes during his senior year at Illinois and his jump into coaching. We'll...
Jul 05, 2018•34 min
Illinois native and MAC Freshman of the Year Michael McGree joins the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast to talk about the success during his true freshman season on the mats in Norfolk. McGee was a conference champion and NCAA qualifier at 125 pounds and was also an NWCA Division I All-Academic selection. He'll talk about the unique pronunciation of his first name and its origins, why he chose Old Dominion and what it's been like jumping right into the lineup. We'll also give Monarch Nation some inf...
Apr 25, 2018•27 min
Associate head coach Mike Dixon returns to the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast with a recap of the MAC Championships and the 2018 NCAA Division I Championships. The four-year streak of All-Americans came to an end, but all four Monarchs who competed at the NCAA championships will be back next season as the team graduates just one starter. We'll dive into the recruiting chatter as the NHSCA nationals are coming to Virginia Beach at the end of March and what the dropping of Eastern Michigan's wrestl...
Mar 21, 2018•38 min
Old Dominion University played its first competitive football game in over 50 years in August of 2009. In 10 seasons, coach Bobby Wilder's team became an instant force in FCS competition before a call from Conference USA and FBS football became a reality. Part of that reality is Monarch football players now competing in the NFL. Rick Lovato was the first to play in the NFL after he was picked up by the Green Bay Packers a few seasons ago as a long snapper, but Lovato, now with the Philadelphia E...
Jan 30, 2018•23 min
On Episode 47 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast, we'll catch up with head wrestling coach Steve Martin about the action over the holiday break, the win over Eastern Michigan and the forecast for the upcoming Virginia Duals. We'll then have a chance to meet and introduce Monarch Nation to assistant wrestling coach Daryl Thomas, who joined the staff in the offseason. SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Google Play Music | RSS | Android App | iOS A...
Jan 10, 2018•28 min
Episode 46 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast reviews the first month of the season with Associate Head Coach Mike Dixon. The Monarch wrestling program is off to a 2-3 start with wins over Gardner-Webb and Northern Illinois, the most recent win coming on December 19 at The Ted. Coach Dixon talks about the start of the season and the decision to wrestle two of the nation's top programs -- Missouri and NC State -- on the road on the same weekend and what the team learned from the experience. We ...
Dec 21, 2017•34 min
Jeff Rusak was recently induced into the Old Dominion Sports Hall of Fame. The Pennsylvania native and now Virginia Beach firefighter was a four-time NCAA qualifier, a two-time conference champion and one of the most prolific pinners in ODU wrestling history. On Episode 45 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast, Rusak talks about his career, his journey to Old Dominion, some of the wacky roommates over the years and meeting his wife, former ODU women's soccer player Melissa Futrell Rusak. While ne...
Nov 29, 2017•38 min
The Old Dominion wrestling program announced its 2017-18 schedule earlier this week and on Episode 44 of the ODU Monarch Matcast, we'll talk with Associate Head Coach Mike Dixon about it. The Monarch wrestling program will first have a Monarch Day of Giving on October 6 where the staff and team is looking for 200 gifts of any denomination to contribute towards the program. Coach Dixon breaks down the schedule as a slew of events around the region and in Norfolk highlight what will be a young and...
Sep 27, 2017•32 min
Associate Head Coach Mike Dixon joins the Monarch Matcast on the floor of the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota at the USA Wrestling Cadet and Junior Nationals. Fargo, as the tournament has simply been known, is one of the most fertile recruiting grounds and coaches from all divisions are flocking to the Fargodome to recruit. We'll talk with coach Dixon about recruiting, the staff change over and what to expect from Monarch wrestling in 2017-2018. SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW iTunes | Stitcher | Spreake...
Jul 16, 2017•11 min
Associate Head Coach Mike Dixon recaps the MAC Championships and NCAA Division I Championships on Episode 42 of the ODU Wrestling Monarch Matcast. Redshirt junior Kevin Beazley earned the program's 18th Division I All-American honor by placing eighth at 197 pounds. The placement gave the Monarchs an All-American for the fourth straight year and ties a school record for consecutive years producing at least one All-American. Coach Dixon looks at the individual performances of the five Monarchs who...
Mar 30, 2017•46 min
Episode 41 of the ODU Monarch Matcast previews the upcoming Mid-American Conference championships to be held at the University of Northern Iowa on March 4-5. Jason Bryant breaks down the weight-by-weight prospectus on the chances of each Monarch wrestler in making the 2017 NCAA Division I Championships. SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW iTunes | Stitcher | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | Soundcloud | TuneIn | Google Play Music | RSS | Android App | iOS App JOIN THE TEAM And if you're a fan of the extensive and bro...
Mar 02, 2017•23 min
