Latest news with #NJSIAA
CBS News
09-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
New Jersey high school wrestler wins 4th straight state championship amid controversy
A New Jersey high school wrestler is once again a state champion, this time amid swirling controversy. Anthony Knox Jr. won the 126-pound finals for his fourth straight state championship Saturday, becoming only the fifth person in New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association history to do so. The victory places him among the elite, but it might be short-lived. The title could eventually be stripped from him. Brawl controversy surrounds New Jersey champion wrestler Knox's accomplishment is overshadowed by controversy. On Feb. 22, he and his father were involved in a brawl in the stands during the NJ District 25 tournament at Collingswood High School, an incident that ended with both of them being led away in handcuffs. Knox's father claims he was assaulted when he confronted a spectator who was allegedly yelling and cursing. Knox said he then ran into the stands to protect his family. The NJSIAA disqualified Knox, but an attorney filed an injunction that would allow Knox to compete and a judge granted Knox a relief. Earlier this week, however, Knox was charged with simple assault in connection to the brawl. He was initially barred again from competing, but an appeals court judge ruled in his favor, saying the NJSIAA did not allow Knox due process in defending himself.
Fox News
05-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Top NJ wrestler Anthony Knox Jr charged with simple assault for alleged role in viral tournament brawl
Star New Jersey high school wrestler Anthony Knox has been charged with simple assault-purposely/knowingly causing bodily injury after allegedly participating in a brawl in the bleachers at a tournament last month, per the New York Post. Knox and his father, Anthony Knox Sr., were detained after the brawl at Collingswood High School dissipated. Knox Jr. had already won his match for St. John Vianney High School, which checked another key box on his way to an expected fourth straight New Jersey title in his weight class. Court documents obtained by The Post and videos on social media reveal a person alleged to be Knox Jr. sprinting up the bleachers to join the brawl at the high school. "The defendant did enter the opposing team's designated section of the gymnasium bleachers during the District 25 wrestling tournament, where he proceeded to punch [redacted] about the face and head repeatedly, which result in bruising and pain to the right temple area," the complaint document read. Knox Jr. was disqualified by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) from participation in the tournament until Mercer County Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels granted him a temporary restraining order from his ban, allowing him to compete in the Region 7 tournament. Knox Jr. won his match and will compete for his fourth straight state title this weekend. Knox Jr. issued a statement explaining why he joined the brawl, in which he said his father approached the opposing team to address alleged insults. "During the finals matches, the atmosphere of the crowd became increasingly hostile toward me and my teammates because of our success," Knox Jr.'s statement read, which Bartels asked of him. "Insults were hurled at us. Apparently, my father approached the people hurling the insults and asked them to stop. "In response, I saw these people lunge forward assaulting my father and he was pulled down and completely surrounded by unruly people. My immediate reaction was to run close to the section to aid in the protection and safety of my father and mother, who was with me. I dispute the NJSIAA's adopted version of the facts." The Knox family also participated in an interview with ABC7, where Knox Sr. said "racial slurs" were being said toward kids on the mats below. "[I] saw a bunch of grown men yelling racial slurs at kids that I've been training since they were 6 years old, cursing at my son, cursing at my wife," said Knox Sr., a former MMA fighter. "As a man, I walked over, walked up into the stands and asked the guy to stop. At that point, I was assaulted. Never threw a punch. Never hurt anybody. Never ran up there like a bat out of hell just throwing punches at people. None of that happened. I got pushed down the bleachers. I could have gotten seriously injured. Then I got surrounded by about 10 other families." The NJSIAA's initial response, after reviewing the video evidence online, was to disqualify Knox Jr., the top-ranked wrestler in the 126-pound weight class in the country, from the state tournament. Then, after Bartels' decision on the matter, the governing body said it would appeal the court's decision, which they "strongly disagree" with. Knox Jr. is a Cornell commit who had a "tough conversation" with his future head coach, Mike Grey, about the situation that unfolded at Collingswood High School. Grey told that Knox Jr.'s status with the university hasn't been affected by the incident, and he plans to have him on his roster whenever he enrolls. Knox Jr. defeated Lacey High School's Aidan Flynn to win the Region 7 title in the 126-pound weight class, setting himself up for one more match that would make him the fifth wrestler in the state to ever win four straight New Jersey titles. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
02-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
NJ high school wrestling star wins regional title after dramatic week
A New Jersey high school wrestling star won a regional title on Saturday following a judge's decision to overturn a disqualification against him over a fight in the stands during the district tournament last week. Anthony Knox, of St. John Vianney High School in Holmdel, was given the go-ahead to wrestle in the 126-pound competition at Lacey High School on Friday night. A judge overturned the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) to disqualify him after Knox was involved in a brawl in the stands during the district tournament. The melee involved his father, Anthony Sr. Both Knox men were seen in handcuffs after the incident. The Cornell commit defeated Lacey's Aidan Flynn to win the title. Knox is now on a path to win his fourth straight state title in NJSIAA Wrestling Championships in Atlantic City this coming weekend. The NJSIAA requested a stay of the judge's decision, which, if approved, could mean Knox would be sidelined for the tournament. "Back to the plan," he wrote as a caption for a reel he posted to his Instagram account. "#4xStateChamp." Lancers head coach Chris Notte praised Knox's ability to lock in and focus on winning his match on Friday despite all of the drama around him. "He wasn't nervous at all, he was the same Anthony Knox," Notte told "He had the same killer instinct and sparkle in his eyes. He went out, did the job and went home with good sportsmanship." Knox would become the state's fifth four-time champion if he competes and wins the tournament this weekend, according to the Asbury Park Press. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
CBS News
28-02-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Attorneys for New Jersey high school wrestler appear in court to determine eligibility for state championship
Attorneys for a top New Jersey high school wrestler who was disqualified from the state championships appeared in court Thursday. The hearing was about whether St. John Vianney High School senior Anthony Knox Jr.'s eligibility for the championships will be reinstated. Knox was disqualified after he allegedly ran into the stands when violence erupted between his dad and other spectators at a tournament last Saturday. An attorney has filed an injunction that would allow Knox Jr. to compete until a proper hearing can be held. There's no word yet on when the court will rule on Knox's injunction. School districts respond to brawl at wrestling tournament Anthony Knox Sr. told CBS News New York's Steve Overmyer he saw men cursing at his son and wife, and yelling racial slurs at other students during the tournament. "As a man, I walked over, walked up into the stands, and asked the guy to stop. At that point, I was assaulted. Never threw a punch. Never hurt anybody," he said. "I felt that my family's lives and well being were at risk, and that's why I stepped in," Anthony Knox Jr. said. The father and son were the only two people involved in the brawl that were led away in handcuffs, and Knox Jr. was swiftly disqualified by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. St. John Vianney High School said in a statement it respects the decision of the NJSIAA after its investigation, adding it does not condone violence of any kind and last weekend's incident is not indicative of what the school or wrestling program stands for. Knox Sr. claims someone from the West Deptford School District instigated the brawl. The school district released the following statement Thursday: "West Deptford School District is aware of the incident that took place on February 22, 2025, at the District 25 Wrestling Tournament hosted at Collingswood High School. This unfortunate event does not reflect the values of sportsmanship and respect that we uphold, and we do not condone physical confrontations at any sanctioned school event. "We are also aware of the recent accusations that racial and vulgar statements that were allegedly made by individuals/fans associated with our school district. A thorough investigation into these claims has been conducted, and there is absolutely no evidence or witness testimony supporting these serious and defamatory allegations. Additionally, the NJSIAA has conducted its own investigation, and no complaints were filed during the event against anyone associated with West Deptford. "Our students, fans, and coaching staff were in close proximity to security personnel and law enforcement throughout the event. At no point was anyone from our district addressed for inappropriate comments or behavior. Furthermore, our student-athletes competed with integrity and respect, and no officials reported any misconduct on their part. "It is disappointing that our school district has been implicated in an incident that originated outside our community. We remain committed to ensuring that our students and fans are not placed in harm's way. We have communicated with the host school, along with NJSIAA, that assures us that there will be a high level of security for spectator and student athlete comfort. There will be 'ZERO TOLERANCE' from coaches, athletes, and fans to ensure productive and sportsmanlike matches. As the postseason continues, we hope the focus remains on the student-athletes and their hard work. The West Deptford School District stands firmly in support of sportsmanship, safety, and the well-being of all participants and spectators."
Fox News
27-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Star NJ wrestler's college career won't be affected despite brawl at tourney leads to arrest: report
A wild story came out of New Jersey high school wrestling over the weekend, as Anthony Knox Jr., the No. 1-ranked 126-pound wrestler in the country, was detained after a brawl involving his dad and other fans at a district tournament. While his short-term future in the sport has been affected, the long term is a different story for Knox. Knox had already won his match at the NJ District 25 Wrestling Tournament at Collingswood High School, which pushed him down the path to winning his fourth straight state title in his weight class. However, after the 190-pound final, a brawl started in the stands, which saw Anthony Knox Sr. at the center of it. His son was seen in video footage of the brawl sprinting up the bleachers to join in. When the dust settled, both Knox Sr. and Knox Jr. were arrested, according to Jersey Sports Zone. Knox Jr. has since been disqualified from participating in the state tournament in Atlantic City, but his future at Cornell University, the school he committed to as the next step of his wrestling career, came into question. Mike Grey, Cornell's wrestling coach, told that he had a "tough conversation" with Knox Jr., and he will still be wrestling for the university in the future. It may not come next season, as the report added that Knox has discussed taking a year off before enrolling in 2026-27. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) released a statement regarding Knox, explaining their decision to disqualify him from the state tournament. "Earlier today, I informed the Saint John Vianney High School administration that the student-athlete wrestling in the 126-pound weight class has been disqualified from the NJSIAA wrestling state tournament," NJSIAA Executive Director Colleen Maguire said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The disqualification was the result of my investigation into an incident that occurred on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at the district tournament hosted at Collingswood High School. I have determined that the disqualified student-athlete violated both the association's sportsmanship policy and its disqualification rule for leaving the bench area during an altercation. "I would like to thank the administrators and coaches from our member schools and those spectators who provided written statements and videos to assist the investigation. I also would like to thank event staff security and the Collingswood Police Department for their efficient handling of this incident, which allowed the tournament to be completed without further incident. "I did not make this decision lightly. I am fully aware of the consequences to the student-athlete. He is a senior, and this disqualification effectively ends his high school career. However, my role is to uphold the integrity of high school athletics by ensuring that all participants adhere to the same rules and are held to the same standards of sportsmanship and safety. "Let it be clear, the association cannot, and will not, condone actions that violate its sportsmanship policy or its member school-approved rules." Knox Jr. also released a statement on Instagram. "As many of you know, I have been disqualified from my next two matches due to an unfortunate incident that occurred in the stands at Collingswood HS well after I had finished competing at the district tournament," Knox Jr. wrote. "Like anyone, my only concern at that time was protecting the safety of my family. While I respect the NJSIAA's decision, my family and I are currently reviewing our options to determine the best course of action moving forward. "I am disappointed in this outcome, but remain happy and grateful for the opportunities I've had. l am committed to supporting my teammates still representing our school and the sport of wrestling with the same passion and dedication that got us here. No matter what happens next, I will continue to train, compete, and push myself to be the best wrestler and person I can be as I continue my career onward at Cornell University. "Thank you all for your continued love and support. It truly means the world to me. I'm more motivated than ever and excited to prove to everyone what I already know, that I'm the best there is." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
