The Seeding and Separation Committee for men's freestyle wrestling met on Wednesday, March 1, and ranked the wrestlers expected to participate at the U.S. National Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, Nev., April 14-15.

This a preliminary list for the U.S. Nationals. The list can and may change after the final registration determines who will actually commit to the competition.

The athletes who are listed No. 1 through No. 8 on the list will advance directly to the U.S. Nationals tournament on Saturday, April 15. They will not have to participate in the Qualification Tournament, which all of the other entries must enter on Friday, April 14. 

From the qualification tournament, eight more athletes will qualify to advance to Saturday's U.S. Nationals, filling a 16-athlete bracket for the U.S. Nationals.

Those listed below No. 8 are considered alternates, and would move up into the top eight if one of those selected does not wrestler, or if there is no changes made for competitive reasons between the release of the preliminary list and the closing of registration.

There are athletes who have automatically qualified for the eight positions in the U.S. Nationals. These include the three members of 2005-06 Freestyle Team USA, if they enter the same weight class that they earned their ranking. In addition, the top placing U.S. wrestler from the Dave Schultz Memorial International who had not already qualified also advance to the Saturday tournament.

The selection and seeding committee is interested in the input of coaches from clubs that will have athletes wrestling in the U.S. Nationals. The input of the coaches will be considered during the FINAL determination of the athletes separated out and seeded. 

Anyone wanting to provide input can e-mail USA Wrestling National Teams Director Mitch Hull at mhull@usawrestling.org. He will forward this to the committee members.

The committee was determined by the Federation of Clubs and consists of National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson, plus Jamill Kelly, Zeke Jones and Sonny Greenhalgh.

PRELIMINARY MEN'S FREESTYLE LIST

55 KG/121 LBS.
1. Sammie Henson, Flintstone, Ga. (Sunkist Kids) - National Team No. 1 
2. Eric Akin, Gardner, Kan. (Cyclone WC) - National Team No. 2 
3. Nick Simmons, Williamston, Mich. (Michigan WC) - National Team No. 3 
4. Matt Azevedo, Arroyo Grande, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) - Qualifier from Schultz Memorial
5. Luke Eustice, Coralville, Iowa (Hawkeye TC)
6. Henry Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
7. Jason Powell, Lincoln, Neb. (Gator WC)
8. Jess Zobeck, Denver, Colo. (Grapplers Edge)
Alternates
9. Mark McKnight, McDonald, Pa. (New York AC)
10. Michael Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (unattached)

60 KG/132 LBS.
1. Michael Lightner, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) - National Team No. 1 
2. Nate Gallick, Tucson, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) - National Team No. 2 
3. Mike Zadick, Solon, Iowa (Hawkeye TC) - National Team No. 3 
4. Travis Lee, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC)
5. Zach Roberson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) - Qualifier from Schultz Memorial
6. Josh Moore, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
7. Danny Felix, Charlottesville, Va. (Sunkist Kids)
8. Shawn Bunch, Leavenworth, Kan. (New York AC)
Alternates
9. Angel Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
10. Kevin Black, Madison, Wis. (Wisconsin)

66 KG/145.5 LBS.
1. Chris Bono, Ringgold, Ga. (Sunkist Kids) - National Team No. 1
2. Jared Lawrence, Roseville, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) - National Team No. 2 
3. Eric Larkin, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) - Qualifier from Schultz Memorial
4. Jared Frayer, Cambridge, Mass. (Gator WC) - National Team No. 3 
5. Doug Schwab, Blacksburg, Va. (Gator WC)
6. Zach Esposito, Three Bridges, N.J. (Gator WC)
7. JaMarr Billman, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC)
8. Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) 
Alternates
9. Cliff Moore, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye TC)
10. Phillip Simpson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)

74 KG/163 LBS.
1. Joe Williams, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) - National Team No. 1 
2. Kirk White, Boise, Idaho (Bronco WC) - National Team No. 2 
3. Donny Pritzlaff, Northport, N.Y. (New York AC) - National Team No. 3
4. Tyrone Lewis, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
5. Joe Heskett, Grover Beach, Calif. (Gator WC)
6. Ramico Blackmon, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC) - Qualifier from Schultz Memorial
7. Scott Owen, DeKalb, Ill. (New York AC)
8. Matt Gentry, Stanford, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
Alternates
9. Carl Fronhofer, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Sunkist Kids)
10. Johny Hendricks, Edmond, Okla. (Gator WC)

84 KG/185 LBS.
1. Mo Lawal, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) - National Team No. 1 
2. Lee Fullhart, Christiansburg, Va. (Gator WC) - National Team No. 2 
3. Andy Hrovat, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC)
4. Chris Pendleton, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC) - National Team No. 3 
5. Aaron Simpson, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
6. Greg Jones, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids)
7. Ben Askren, Hartland, Wis. (Sunkist Kids)
8. Greg Parker, New York, N.Y. (New York AC) - Qualifier from Schultz Memorial
Alternates
9. Tyler Nixt, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye TC)
10. Clint Wattenburg, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC)

96 KG/211.5 LBS.
1. Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC) - National Team No. 1  
2. Nick Preston, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) - National Team No. 2 
3. Sean Stender, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Panther WC) - Qualifier from Schultz Memorial
4. Nik Fekete, Blacksburg, Va. (New York AC)
5. Damion Hahn, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
6. Kyle Cerminara, Lewiston, N.Y. (New York AC)
7. Daniel Pitsch, Spanaway, Wash. (Orange Crush)
8. Jake Rosholt, Sandpoint, Idaho (Gator WC)
Alternates
9. Josh Pearce, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Unattached)
10. Joel Flaggert, Choctaw, Okla. (Underdog)

120 KG/264.5 LBS.
1. Tolly Thompson, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) - National Team No. 1 
2. Steve Mocco, N. Bergen, N.J. (New York AC) - National Team No. 2
3. Cole Konrad, Kewaunee, Wis. (Minnesota Storm) - National Team No. 3 
4. Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
5. Michael Irving, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) - Qualifier from Schultz Memorial
6. Pat Cummins, Evanston, Ill. (New York AC)
7. Kellan Fluckiger, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids)
8. Cain Velasquez, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
Alternates
9. Ryan Fuller, Lisbon, Iowa (Hawkeye TC)
10. Trey McLean, Colorado Springs, Colo. (USOTC)