2005 World University Games U.S. wrestling team includes 14 National Team members, led by Senior U.S. World Team members Lester and Ruiz
John Fuller/USA Wrestling
Izmir, Turkey – USA Wrestling has finalized its rosters for the 2005 World University Games in Izmir, Turkey. The wrestling competition at the World University Games will take place August 12-17.
Men’s freestyle competition will be held, August 13-14, followed by women’s freestyle on August 15 and Greco-Roman August 16-17.
The World University Games are now in its 23rd year. The event is similar to the Olympic Games, held only for University-level athletes. Overall, 14 sports will hold competitions. The sports competed are selected by the local organizing committee of the event. This year, wrestling has been included for the first time since 1981. The other sports selected are diving, basketball, gymnastics, fencing, track & field, soccer, archery, water polo, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, sailing and swimming.
Two U.S. World Team members will represent the U.S. Greco-Roman Team “Harry Lester (Akron, Ohio/Northern Michigan/Gator WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs, Colo./Nebraska/New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Lester and Ruiz both won U.S. Nationals titles this year. It was the second national title for Ruiz. Lester placed fifth in the 2004 University World Championships. Ruiz won silver medals at the 2003 World Cup and Pan American Games and competed at the 2003 World Championships.
Also competing for the Greco-Roman squad are U.S. National Team members, top three at U.S. World Team Trials, Justin Millard (Colorado Springs, Colo./Edinboro/U.S. Air Force) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Russ Davie (Colorado Springs, Colo./Cleveland State/New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Millard was a 2005 University Nationals champion and placed second at the event in 2003 and 2004. Davie placed second at the 2005 U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials. He won a silver medal at the 2004 World Cup.
Also competing for the U.S. in Greco-Roman are Spenser Mango (Flourissant, Mo./Northern Michigan/Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Jeremiah Davis (El Cajon, Calif./Northern Michigan/Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Cheney Haight (Orem, Utah/Northern Michigan) at 74 kg/163 lbs.
All three are members of the U.S. Olympic Education Center Program at Northern Michigan.
Mango was sixth in the 2005 U.S. Nationals and recently competed in the Junior World Championships. Davis was third in the 2005 U.S. Nationals. Haight placed second in the 2004 and 2005 University Nationals.
The team will be coached by Jim Speelman (Mansfield, Ohio) and Danny Struck (Jeffersonville, Ind.).
The men’s freestyle squad will have five U.S. National Team members on it, including two U.S. World Team Trials finalists “Nate Gallick (Tucson, Ariz./Iowa State/Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Steve Mocco (N. Bergen, N.J./Oklahoma State/New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gallick was an NCAA finalist last college season at Iowa State. He won a gold medal at the 2004 Sunkist Kids International Open. Mocco has won two NCAA titles and was recently nominated for an ESPY Award for “Best Male College Athlete.” He also placed second at the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Cup in Russia in 2003.
Also competing are former NCAA champions Jesse Jantzen (Cambridge, Mass./Harvard/New York AC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Chris Pendleton (Stillwater, Okla./Oklahoma State/Gator WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State/Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Jantzen won an NCAA title in 2004. He won a gold medal at the 2004 Henri Deglane Challenge in France. Pendleton won NCAA titles in 2004 and 2005. Rowlands won NCAA titles in 2002 and 2004. He was third in the 2005 Cerro Pelado International in Cuba and second in the 2005 Ivan Yarygin Memorial International in Russia. Both Pendleton and Rowlands placed third in the 2005 U.S. World Team Trials.
Rounding out the U.S. men’s freestyle squad are Nick Simmons (Williamston, Mich./Michigan State/Michigan WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Tyrone Lewis (Stillwater, Okla./Oklahoma State/Gator WC) at 74 kg/163 lbs.
Simmons placed third at the 2005 U.S. World Team Trials. He also placed third in the 2005 NCAA Tournament. Lewis was a runner-up at the 2005 Dave Schultz Memorial International held in Colorado. In college, he was a four-time NCAA All-American, including a runner-up finish in 2004.
The team will be coached by Bruce Burnett (Annapolis, Md.) and Lou Rosselli (Edinboro, Pa.).
The U.S. women’s freestyle team will only have five competitors. All five of those wrestlers, however, are ranked No. 2 in the U.S. at their respective weight class.
At 48 kg/105.5 lbs., 2005 U.S. Nationals champion Sara Fulp-Allen (El Granada, Calif./Menlo College) will represent the U.S. In 2005, Fulp-Allen has won medals at two international events.
Mary Kelly (Mahomet, Ill./Northern Michigan/New York AC) will compete at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. Kelly placed third in the 2005 U.S. Nationals and was a 2004 University Nationals champion.
2005 U.S. World Team Trials champion Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Minnesota-Morris/Sunkist Kids) will compete at 55 kg/121 lbs. She was defeated in a Special Wrestle-Off for the final U.S. World Team slot last month. Van Dusen was also a 2005 U.S. Nationals runner-up.
2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up and 2005 U.S. World Team Trials runner-up Alaina Berube will represent the U.S. at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Berube also won a gold medal at the 2005 Dave Schultz Memorial International.
Rounding out the U.S. women’s freestyle roster is Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Univ. of Regina) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Bernard has won two Junior World championships, in 2003 and 2005. She was a 2004 U.S. Nationals champion.
The team will be coached by Bobby Douglas (Ames, Iowa) and Tadaaki Hatta (Elyria, Ohio).
U.S. wrestlers have competed in three World University Games, the last being in 1981 when Bruce Baumgartner won a gold medal, Dave Schultz and Mike Land won silver medals and Mitch Hull captured a bronze medal.
TheMat.com will provide complete coverage of the 2005 World University Games. The official event web site, www.universiadeizmir.org/en/, will also provide results.
2005 World University Games
At Izmir, Turkey, August 12-17
U.S. Rosters
Men’s Freestyle
Weight “Name, Hometown (College/Club)
55 kg/121 lbs. “Nick Simmons, Williamston, Mich. (Michigan State/Michigan WC)
60 kg/132 lbs. “Nate Gallick, Tucson, Ariz. (Iowa State/Sunkist Kids)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. “Jesse Jantzen, Cambridge, Mass. (Harvard/New York AC)
74 kg/163 lbs. “Tyrone Lewis, Stillwater, Okla. (Oklahoma State/Gator WC)
84 kg/185 lbs. “Chris Pendleton, Stillwater, Okla. (Oklahoma State/Gator WC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. “Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Ohio State/Sunkist Kids)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. “Steve Mocco, N. Bergen, N.J. (Oklahoma State/New York AC)
Coaches: Bruce Burnett, Annapolis, Md. and Lou Rosselli, Edinboro, Pa.
Women’s Freestyle
Weight “Name, Hometown (College/Club)
48 kg/105.5 lbs. “Sara Fulp-Allen, El Granada, Calif. (Menlo College)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. “Mary Kelly, Mahomet, Ill. (Northern Michigan/New York AC)
55 kg/121 lbs. “Marcie Van Dusen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota-Morris/Sunkist Kids)
59 kg/130 lbs. “NO ENTRY
63 kg/138.75 lbs. “Alaina Berube, Escanaba, Mich. (Cumberland College/New York AC)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. “NO ENTRY
72 kg/158.5 lbs. “Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Univ. of Regina)
Coaches: Bobby Douglas, Ames, Iowa and Tadaaki Hatta, Elyria, Ohio
Greco-Roman
Weight “Name, Hometown (College/Club)
55 kg/121 lbs. “Spenser Mango, Flourissant, Mo. (Northern Michigan/Gator WC)
60 kg/132 lbs. “Jeremiah Davis, El Cajon, Calif. (Northern Michigan/Sunkist Kids)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. “Harry Lester, Akron, Ohio (Northern Michigan/Gator WC)
74 kg/163 lbs. “Cheney Haight, Orem, Utah (Northern Michigan)
84 kg/185 lbs. “Justin Millard, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Edinboro/U.S. Air Force)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. “Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Nebraska/New York AC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. “Russ Davie, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Cleveland State/New York AC)
Coaches: Jim Speelman, Mansfield, Ohio and Danny Struck, Jeffersonville, Ind.
Wrestling Schedule
Friday, August 12
6:00 p.m. “Men’s Freestyle Weigh-Ins (55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg, 120 kg)
Saturday, August 13
10:00 a.m. “Men’s Freestyle Competition (55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg, 120 kg)
4:00 p.m. “Men’s Freestyle Weigh-Ins (60 kg, 74 kg, 96 kg)
5:00 p.m. “Men’s Freestyle Repechage and Medal Matches (55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg, 120 kg)
Sunday, August 14
10:00 a.m. “Men’s Freestyle Competition (60 kg, 74 kg, 96 kg)
5:00 p.m. “Men’s Freestyle Repechage and Medal Matches (60 kg, 74 kg, 96 kg)
6:00 p.m. “Women’s Freestyle Weigh-Ins (All weights)
Monday, August 15
10:00 a.m. “Women’s Freestyle Competition (All weights)
5:00 p.m. “Women’s Freestyle Repechage and Medal Matches (All weights)
6:00 p.m. “Greco-Roman Weigh-Ins (55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg, 120 kg)
Tuesday, August 16
10:00 a.m. “Greco-Roman Competition (55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg, 120 kg)
4:00 p.m. “Greco-Roman Weigh-Ins (60 kg, 74 kg, 96 kg)
5:00 p.m. “Greco-Roman Repechage and Medal Matches (55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg, 120 kg)
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