University and FILA Cadet Nationals set to invade Evanston, Ill. this weekend

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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
04/14/2005


The 2005 University National Championships and FILA Cadet National Championships are set to be held in Evanston, Ill. at Welsh-Ryan Arena on the campus of Northwestern Univ. April 14-16.    Wrestlers will compete in both Greco-Roman and men's freestyle in both events. The University National Championships is open to wrestlers born between 1981 and 1987 whose class has graduated from high school. They will compete at eight weight classes: 50 kg/110 lbs., 55 kg/121 lbs., 60 kg/132 lbs., 66 kg/145.5 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs., 84 kg/185 lbs., 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and 120 kg/264.5 lbs.    FILA Cadets, for wrestlers born between 1988 and 1989, will compete at 10 weight classes: 42 kg/92.5 lbs., 46 kg/101.25 lbs., 50 kg/110 lbs., 54 kg/119 lbs., 58 kg/127.75 lbs., 63 kg/138.75 lbs., 69 kg/152 lbs., 76 kg/167.5 lbs., 85 kg/187.25 lbs. and 100 kg/220.25 lbs.    The University National Championships will serve as a qualifying event for the University World Team Trials, to be held in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 22-29. All wrestlers who place in the top eight of the University National Championships will be eligible to compete in the University World Team Trials. The champion will automatically receive a bye into the championship series, where he will face the winner of a Challenge Tournament in a best-of-three series for the final spot.    The World University Games will be held in Izmir, Turkey, August 1-7.    Top three place winners in the FILA Cadet National Championships qualify those athletes for their respective state's Cadet Nationals Team.    This is the first year that the University National Championships will not directly decide who competes at the University World Championships.    Last year, wrestlers from the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan Univ. controlled the Greco-Roman division, winning five of the eight weight classes. That included Most Outstanding Wrestler Harry Lester.    In the men's freestyle division, Augsburg's Marcus LeVesseur won the Most Outstanding Wrestler honor.    In FILA Cadet Greco-Roman, the states of Florida, Michigan and Washington each had two champions. Kyle Bounds of Washington was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler.    In FILA Cadet men's freestyle, Illinois and Florida each had two champions. David Craig of Florida was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.    TheMat.com will provide complete coverage of the 2005 University National Championships and FILA Cadet National Championships.