Nine current or former ISU wrestlers to compete at World Team Trials on June 18-19 in Hilton Coliseum.
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State assistant coach Chris Bono (Sunkist WC) and two-time Cyclone All-American Nate Gallick are among nine current or former ISU grapplers who will take part in the freestyle 2005 World Team Trials, June 18-19 in Hilton Coliseum. All-session tickets are $60 for adults and $35 for youth high school age and younger. Several wrestlers with Iowa or Northern Iowa ties will also be wrestling. There will also be competition in Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle action. Winners will qualify for the World Wrestling Championships Sept. 23-Oct. 3 in Budapest, Hungary.
The initial rounds for all styles of competition begin at 9 a.m. and end around 1 p.m. Challenge matches will start at 5 p.m. Consolation semifinals and third-place matches will start at 6 :30 p.m. World Team Trials final matches (best of three) will begin July 19 at 10 a.m.
“Bringing the nation’s top wrestlers to Central Iowa affirms the Iowa State University tradition of NCAA, U.S., international and Olympic achievement, “said Iowa State and Olympic coach Bobby Douglas. “The meet is filled with Iowa State wrestlers and competitors that the people of Iowa know. This is a special place in wrestling history so I think it’s appropriate that we bring the World Team Trials to Ames.”
Heading the list of likely ISU participants is Bono, the U.S. 145.5-pound freestyle champion and a former NCAA champion. The 2004 NYAC Christmas Open winner was a member of the 2003 U.S. World Cup teams and captured the 2002 and 2003 U.S. titles. His bracket includes Jared Lawrence of Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm WC), whom Bono defeated 1-0, 1-1, 1-0 for the U.S. 145-pound crown last month in Las Vegas, Nev. Lawrence is a former NCAA champion at Minnesota. World team member, former Iowa All-American Bill Zadick (Gator WC), and Northern Plains Regional champion and former Iowa national champion Cliff Moore (Hawkeye WC) will be in this bracket.
“Some of my greatest memories are of wrestling in Hilton Coliseum, “Bono said. “There are so many highlights. I’m very lucky to get a chance to wrestle here again a decade after my collegiate career ended. I know we will have great support.”
Gallick, the 2005 NCAA runner-up at 141-pounds, placed second to Michael Lightner of Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids WC) at the U.S. National Championship at 132 pounds last month. Gallick won the 2004 Sunkist Kids International competition in Tucson, Ariz. Also competing at 132 pounds are former ISU national champion Zach Roberson (Sunkist Kids), who was third in the national tournament last month and was the 132-pound title winner in the NYAC Christmas Open. Former Iowa State four-time All-American Eric Akin (Dave Schultz WC) is in the same weight class with former Iowa All-American Mike Zadick (Hawkeye WC).
“Hilton Coliseum is my wrestling home, “Gallick said. “I’m really looking forward to competing in Ames. There is a comfort level there. I want to thank everyone who made this event in Ames possible.”
Matt Azevedo (Sunkist Kids), a former Iowa Stater, placed second in the 121-pound weight class at the U.S. Championships. Azevedo was the 2004 Sunkist Kids International champion and won the individual champion at the Dave Schultz Memorial meet. Former Iowa All-American Luke Eustice (Hawkeye WC) is in the same weight class.
“It’s exciting for me personally to have the 2005 U.S. World Team Trials in Ames, “said U.S. National freestyle coach and 1992 Olympic champion Kevin Jackson.
Jackson was an NCAA finalist on Iowa State’s NCAA championship team in 1987.
“I have so many great memories from that city and from Iowa State University, “Jackson said. “In a sense, the success of my career began in Ames, and with a lot of our Olympians stepping away from the sport after the 2004 Games, a lot of other great careers are expected to be born in Ames this year. I can’t think of a better place for the U.S. World Team Trials to be held than in Ames, the center of the sport of amateur wrestling in the U.S. Wrestling fans in Iowa are some of the best in the country as are the competitors. With the great success that Bobby Douglas has brought to Iowa State in the last decade, it’s exciting to think of the atmosphere that will surround this year’s World Team Trials.”
At 163 pounds former Iowa Stater Nick Passolano (Sunkist WC), former ISU national champion Joe Heskett (Gator WC), ISU All-American Travis Paulson (Cyclone WC) will battle against former Iowa national champion Joe Williams (Sunkist Kids), the 2005 U.S. champion.
Iowa State’s David Bertolino (Cyclone WC) will compete at 185 pounds in a bracket that includes former Iowa national champion Lee Fullhart (Gator WC) and former Hawk All-American Tyler Nixt (Gator WC).
“Fans are going to see great wrestling, “said ISU assistant coach and 2004 Olympic champion Cael Sanderson. “Wrestling fans in our state are knowledgeable and I think they’ll enjoy seeing the different kinds of wrestling being contested It will be very exciting.”
Iowa State assistant coach and former All-American Zach Thompson will compete at 211 pounds against a field that could include Iowa assistant coach Tim Hartung (Minnesota Storm) and UNI All-American Sean Stender.
In Greco-Roman competition, former ISU heavyweight Mark Knauer is slated to compete.
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