The USA Wrestling Greco-Roman National Team has created a series of new awards recognizing outstanding achievements within in Greco-Roman wrestling community. The winners of awards for the month of June are: Senior Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Month for June 2006 Spenser Mango, Flourisant, Mo. (USOEC/Gator WC) Mango won a gold medal at 121 pounds at the World University Championships in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, June 16. He became the first U.S. wrestler to win a gold medal in Greco-Roman at the University World Championships. Mango won three matches on the way to his World title. He opened the tournament with a 4-2 victory over Dan Finh Hue of Vietnam. In the semifinals, Mango stopped K. Hasegawa of Japan, 1-1, 5-7, 6-0. In the gold-medal match, Mango defeated B. Yasein of Iran, 5-4, 2-1. Mango attends Northern Michigan Univ. and is a member of the U.S. Olympic Education Center Greco-Roman program there. He was second at the U.S. Nationals in 2006, and won gold medals this year at the FILA Junior Nationals, the University Nationals and the FILA World Team Trials. FILA Junior Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Month for June 2006 Brett Robbins, Bloomington, Ill. (Panther WC) Robbins won a gold medal at 132 pounds at the FILA Junior World Team Trials in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 9-10. He had a powerful aggressive style in winning the Championship Series against 2006 FILA Junior Nationals champion Shawn Jones . Robbins dropped the first period of the first match before coming back to launch and pin Jones. Robbins swept the second match 7-0, 6-3. Earlier in the day, Robbins won two other bouts to capture the Challenge Tournament, beating Jake Swenson of the Minnesota Storm, 7-0, 5-0 in the semifinals and Christopher Iorio of the Sachem WC, 5-0, 8-0 in the finals. He attends the Univ. of Northern Iowa. Robbins was a two-time Junior Nationals champion in Greco-Roman. He was also a 2004 high school state champion in Illinois for Bloomington High School. Youth Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Month for June 2006 Ben Provisor, Stevens Point, Wis. Provisor went 9-0 at 145 pounds at the Cadet Dual National Championships in Greco-Roman wrestling in Kansas City, Mo., June 20-24. Provisor allowed just four points combined in his nine matches at the Cadet Duals. Provisor is coached by 1995 World champion and three-time Olympian Dennis Hall at the Dennis Hall's World Gold Wrestling Club. The 16-year-old Provisor placed third at Cadet Nationals in 2005. He placed fifth in the Wisconsin state high school tournament as a freshman this past season. Provisor also studied abroad for seven months in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2004, where he trained with the Bulgarian National Greco-Roman Team. Greco-Roman Leader of the Month for June 2006 Dan Chandler, Minneapolis, Minn. Chandler is considered one of the greatest Greco-Roman wrestling coaches in the nation, having won the USA Wrestling Greco-Roman Coach of the Year numerous times, and coached U.S. teams at the Olympic Games and World Championships. In addition, Chandler is also one of the most active supporters of Greco-Roman wrestling through his position as State Coach of Minnesota USA Wrestling. His duties also include organizing programs and fundraising for wrestling. Chandler helps organize the Regional Training Site program for Minnesota, where freestyle and Greco-Roman instruction is available each week at between five and six sites across the state. This program is held from the end of the high school season through July, when the Junior National training camps begin. Each year, numerous Minnesota athletes attend USA Wrestling regional and national events with support from the state. This year, there were over 50 Minnesota athletes competing at the Western Juniors, FILA Junior Nationals and U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas. Chandler works with the top coaches in the state to provide coaching and leadership for these trips. He also helps manage the Minnesota Storm club, which is affiliated with Minnesota USA Wrestling. A portion of the fundraising efforts go to support these elite athletes who compete nationally and internationally. Often, athletes need financial support to attend major international events. An example of Minnesota Storm athletes who received assistance were 2006 University World medalists Chas Betts in Greco-Roman and Cole Konrad in freestyle. There is over 50 years of Greco-Roman and freestyle tradition in Minnesota, and Chandler actively works with the wrestling leadership in the state to build and expand that legacy. Greco-Roman Developmental Coach of the Month for June 2006 Gary Mayabb, Kansas City, Mo. Mayabb is one of the nation's top prep wrestling coaches, serving the last 20 years as head coach at Oak Park High School, which is ranked within the top 10 on the national level each year. Oak Park has won three straight state high school titles, and set records with its dominance in 2006 with nine in the state finals and five champions. His athletes are involved in the successful Competitors Association club, where Mayabb coaches. The team features nine different athletes who are All-Americans at different USA Wrestling age levels. There were six of his wrestlers on this year's Team Missouri Cadet Dual team, and seven of his athletes on the Junior Dual team. Many of his athletes participate in the Big Brother/Future Freestyle program and other developmental camps. He has served as Missouri's Head Greco-Roman Coach since 1986, mentoring numerous Cadet and Junior All-Americans over the years. The Missouri Cadet Greco-Roman team was second in this month's Cadet National Duals. He has coached four Cadet World Teams, six Tour du Monde tour teams, and will be a Junior World Team coach this year. Mayabb attends and instructs at the NCEP Silver College, and has been a coach at the 2012 Developmental Camps for a number of years. He has also participated as a coach at U.S. Olympic and World Team training camps. As an athlete, Mayabb was second at the 1990 U.S. Nationals in Greco-Roman, and competed in the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Trials process. The Greco-Roman Recognition Program will run from April through July each season, and will give monthly awards within Greco-Roman in the category of athlete, coach and leader. There will be monthly awards will be announced on TheMat.com in the following areas: - Senior Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Month - Junior Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Month - Youth Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Month - Greco-Roman Developmental Coach of the Month - Greco-Roman Leader of the Month At the Junior/Cadet Nationals in Fargo, N.D. each year, the following annual awards will be announced, with a special trophy presented: - Cadet Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year - Junior Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year - Cadet Greco-Roman Coach of the Year - Junior Greco-Roman Coach of the Year - Greco-Roman Leader of the Year "We are excited to recognize those who are challenging themselves in all styles of wrestling," said Ike Anderson, National Greco-Roman Developmental Coach. "Most of those involved in Greco-Roman wrestling participate in every style of wrestling. By competing in Greco-Roman wrestling, athletes and coaches improve in all aspects of the sport. By recognizing those who are successful in Greco-Roman wrestling, we are honoring those who are doing what it takes to get better in wrestling." To nominate an athlete, coach or leader for this awards program, please contact National Developmental Coach Ike Anderson at ianderso@usawrestling.org