Hall named TheMat.com Athlete of the Week
<< Back to Articles
John Fuller (TheMat.com)
05/26/2004
Dennis Hall (Plover, Wis./Sunkist Kids) has been named TheMat.com Athlete of the Week for the week of May 18-24. Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level. The announcement will be made each week on Wednesday. Hall captured the 55 kg/121-pound Greco-Roman title at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Wrestling at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Ind. last weekend. It is the lowest weight Hall has competed at internationally since he finished second at the 2000 Olympic Trials at 58 kg/127.5 lbs. Hall defeated his three opponents in the Challenge Tournament by a combined score of 15-3. In the finals, he downed Lindsey Durlacher 3-1. In the best-of-three Championship Series, Hall defeated 1996 Olympic silver medalist and 2001 World silver medalist Brandon Paulson two matches to one. In the third match, Hall and Paulson battled for 16 minutes and 54 seconds before Hall scored a takedown to give him a 4-3 victory. "Overtime just kept going on and on. We were both working hard. Finally, I was able to slide by to reach around and chase him and land on top. I wasn't sure if they were going to give it to me (the point), but my coaches said they did and I though thank goodness it's over," Hall said of the marathon match. In 1996, Hall won silver medal at the Olympic Games, one year after becoming only the second U.S. wrestler to win a World gold medal. He also captured a World bronze medal in 1994. Hall also competed in the 1992 Olympic Games, placing eighth. Click here to view previous Athletes of the Week