It was a historic 2007 for the United States Greco-Roman Team as the Americans won their first-ever title at the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Even though they won the team title for the first time, the U.S. did not win a gold medal individually and that adds even more fuel to the fire for a highly motivated and very strong American squad.

Past World champion Dremiel Byers (264.5 lbs.) and 2007 World silver medalist Brad Vering (185) are the leaders on the American squad.

The U.S. also has proven wrestlers in two-time World bronze medalist Harry Lester (163) along with World bronze medalists Lindsey Durlacher (121) and Justin Ruiz (211.5).

Each wrestler will try to stay on top at U.S. Nationals in what should be a competitive field of the top Americans in Greco-Roman.

The U.S. Olympic Team Trials are set for June 13-15 in Las Vegas. The Olympic Games are set for Aug. 12-21 in Beijing, China.

55 KG/121 LBS.

Sam Hazewinkel knocked off Lindsey Durlacher in the finals of the U.S. Nationals, but Durlacher won when it counted most as he made his third straight U.S. World Team in 2007. Durlacher went on to place fifth at the World Championships, scoring big points for the American team.

2007 World Team Trials runner-up Spenser Mango is a rising young star in this division. Mango was a World University champion in 2006 and continues to improve.

Hazewinkel has gained valuable experience on the international level over the past year after finishing his college career at Oklahoma. Hazewinkel's father and uncle were both Olympians in Greco-Roman. Look for Durlacher, Hazewinkel and Mango to battle it out for the title.

Also in this class, Josh Habeck placed third at the 2007 World Team Trials and Jermaine Hodge was fourth. Others who are expected to battle for medals include Nate Engle and Anthony Brooker.

60 KG/132 LBS.

Joe Betterman replaced past World champion Joe Warren on the World Team last year and Betterman will be the top seed at U.S. Nationals. Betterman lost in the first round of the World Championships in 2007.

Two-time Olympian Jim Gruenwald has come out of retirement this season. He lost to Betterman in the finals of the Sunkist Kids International earlier this season. Gruenwald is one of Betterman's coaches at the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University.

The U.S. has still not qualified this weight class for the Olympics. The Americans have two more Olympic qualifiers left to earn a spot in this division for Beijing.

National Team member Willie Madison is another top competitor in this division. Madison has been in the mix for the past several seasons. Kerry Regner placed fourth at the 2007 World Team Trials. Marco Lara has had a strong season, and has climbed up in the rankings. 

Glenn Garrison, a past U.S. Nationals champion, has dropped down from 66 kg to make his Olympic run. Others to watch include Donovan DePatto, Jake Swenson and Jeremiah Davis.

66 KG/145.5 LBS.

Harry Lester is one of the most talented Greco-Roman wrestlers in the World in any weight class. Lester has made the last three U.S. World Teams and has won a World bronze medal the past two years. He is heavily favored to make his first Olympic Team this year. Lester is explosive and strong, and is wrestling well again this season.

Lester is just 24 years old and may be back for another four-year Olympic cycle after 2008.

Jacob Curby placed second behind Lester at the 2007 World Team Trials. Mark Rial was third in the Trials. Both of these wrestlers have gained additional international experience and have shown improvement this year.

Another talented wrestler here is Faruk Sahin of the U.S. Army. Sahin placed fourth at the 2007 Trials, and was second at the 2007 U.S. Nationals. Glenn Garrison won the U.S. Nationals in this class in 2007, but he may move down a weight class for this year's U.S. Nationals. 

Veteran Marcel Cooper, the 2006 U.S. Nationals winner and past U.S. World Team member, is another strong wrestler in this division. High school star Jake Deitchler will attempt to qualify for this weight class. Others to watch include Brandon McNab, Tim Bleau and Jacob Hey.

74 KG/163 LBS.

Long-time Greco-Roman standout T.C. Dantzler is the No. 1 competitor here with another veteran, Keith Sieracki, right behind him.

Dantzler has made the last five U.S. World Teams and is looking to make his first Olympic Team. Dantzler placed fifth at the 2006 World Championships.

Sieracki made the 2001 U.S. World Team and has had numerous close battles with Dantzler over the years. Sieracki is 36 and Dantzler is 37. Dantzler is seeking his third straight U.S. Nationals title.

The U.S. has still not qualified this weight class for the Olympics. The Americans have two more Olympic qualifiers left to earn a spot in this division for Beijing.

Kenneth Cook placed third at the 2007 World Team Trials. Cook has completed his college career and is now concentrating full-time on Greco-Roman

One of the top young wrestlers in this class, Jacob Fisher of the USOEC, placed fourth in the World Team Trials last year. Young wrestlers Talon Knox, Andrew Bisek and Cheney Haight, all from the USOEC program, are also competitive.  Trent Paulson was No. 5 on the ladder here last year, but is back wrestling freestyle this season.

84 KG/185 LBS.

Brad Vering is still the man here. The past NCAA champion from Nebraska broke through last year to win a silver medal at the 2007 Worlds.

Vering came back strong after failing to make the 2006 World Team. Vering had made the three previous U.S. World Teams, in addition to making the 2004 Olympic Team.

Vering is wrestling as well as anybody in the World right now and is heavily favored to make his second Olympic Team. Vering is seeking his fifth U.S. Nationals title.

2006 World Team member Jacob Clark placed second behind Vering at the 2004 Olympic Trials. Clark also was second at the 2003, 2005 and 2007 World Team Trials. Clark is very talented and strong, but has struggled against the powerful Vering.

Aaron Sieracki, who knocked off Vering en route to placing second at the 2006 World Team Trials, is another guy who could make a big impact here.

Jake Plamann placed third at the 2007 World Team Trials. Chas Betts was fourth at last year's Trials. Betts was a silver medalist at the 2006 World University Championships.

Justin Millard was second at the 2007 U.S. Nationals but has been competing at 96 kg so far this season. Others expected to contend are Deon Hicks, John Wechter, Brad Ahearn and Jeremy Pederson.

96 KG/211.5 LBS.

Justin Ruiz has been a fixture for the U.S. in this division. Ruiz has made the last four U.S. World Teams, winning a bronze medal in 2005. He has won the last four U.S. Nationals titles.

Ruiz's top challenger likely will be Adam Wheeler, who placed second to Ruiz at the 2005 and 2007 World Team Trials. Wheeler has won matches against Ruiz in the past, but Ruiz has held the edge at the major competitions. 

R.C. Johnson has placed third the past two years at the World Team Trials and has a recent win over Wheeler. Robbie Smith placed fourth at the 2007 Trials and has made a number of age-group World Teams.

Phil Johnston is another wrestler to watch here. He took second to Ruiz at the 2006 World Team Trials.  Justin Millard will be in the hunt if he competes at this weight.

120 KG/264.5 LBS.

2002 World champion Dremiel Byers has made the last three World Teams and is expected to make his first Olympic Team this year.

Byers placed third at the 2007 U.S. Nationals after being upset early by eventual runner-up and U.S. Army teammate Tim Taylor. Byers came back to win the World Team Trials before winning a bronze medal at the World Championships that helped the U.S. capture the team title. Byers is a six-time U.S. Nationals champion.

Russ Davie won the U.S. Nationals in 2007 before finishing second to Byers at the World Team Trials.

Taylor placed third at the World Team Trials last year. 

David Arendt scored an upset win by pin over Byers in the 2008 Armed Forces Championships and has shown improvement. Mark Simmonds came in fourth at the 2007 Trials. Brandon Ruiz, Justin's younger brother, also should be in the mix here.

Two-time NCAA champ Cole Konrad has competed in Greco-Roman all season and is seeking to make an impact in this style.

2007 U.S. GRECO-ROMAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS

55 kg/121 lbs.
1st - Sam Hazewinkel, Pensacola, Fla. (Gator WC) dec. Lindsey Durlacher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 2-1, 3-1
3rd - Eric Albarracin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Josh Habeck, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 2-5, 8-0, 2-1
5th - Spenser Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (Gator/USOEC) dec. Nate Engel, St. Helena, Calif. (USOEC), 4-0, 3-0
7th - Jermaine Hodge, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Luis Salinas, Ithaca, N.Y. (Unattched), 5-2, 2-1

60 kg/132 lbs.
1st - Joe Warren, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) pin Joe Betterman, Chicago, Ill. (Gator WC/USOEC), 1:23
3rd - Jeremiah Davis, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Donavan DePatto, Jacksonville, N.C. (U.S. Marines), 4-1, 1-1, 1-1
5th - Jake Swensen, Moroni, Utah (NMU/USOEC) dec. Jason Tolbert, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 3-0, 7-0
7th - Kerry Regner, Darlington, Pa. (Angry Fish/USOEC) dec. Jeremy McLean, Jacksonville, N.C. (Marines), 2-0, 2-2

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
1st - Glenn Garrison, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Faruk Sahin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 6-0, 5-3
3rd - Jacob Hey, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force) inj. dft. Jacob Curby, LaGrange, Ill. (Gator/USOEC)
5th - Oscar Wood, Fountain, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Marco Lara, Long Beach, Calif. (NYAC/USOEC), 5-2,6-0
7th - Timothy Bleau, Ishpeming, Mich. (NMU/USOEC) inj. dft. Marcel Cooper, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)

74 kg/163 lbs.
1st - T.C. Dantzler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) dec. Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 2-1, 1-1
3rd - Cheney Haight, Orem, Utah (NYAC/USOEC) dec. Kevin Lazano, Jefferson, La. (Gator/USOEC), 3-0,1-2,4-0
5th - Jacob Fisher, Platte City, Mo. (NYAC/USOEC) pin Talan Knox, Salt Lake City, Utah (NMU/USOEC), 3-0, 2:00
7th - Jess Hargrave, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Nathaniel Augustson, Rio Rancho, Ariz. (Embry Riddle WC), 6-0, 4-3

84 kg/185 lbs.
1st - Brad Vering, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) tech. fall Justin Millard, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force), 7-0, 6-0
3rd - Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Chas Betts, Chaska, Minn. (Minnesota Storm/USOEC), 3-0, 1-1
5th - Jason Plamann, Appleton, Wis. (Gator/USOEC) dec. Kenneth Cook, Sacramento, Calif. (Aggie WC), 4-1, 6-0
7th - Brian Piasecki, Minocqua, Wis. (Pinnacle Performance) tech. fall William Lasalle, Miami, Fla. (U.S. Navy), 7-0, 7-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
1st - Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. Adam Wheeler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 3-0, 3-0
3rd - Philip Johnston, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. RC Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 1-1, 5-1
5th - Robert Smith, Colorado Springs, Co, Colo (New York AC) inj. dft. John Lorenz, Lacrosse, Wis. (unattached)
7th - Brad Ahearn, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Brenden McLean, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force), 4-0, 4-0

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
1st - Russ Davie, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. Timothy Taylor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 3-1, 3-0
3rd - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Brandon Ruiz, West Jordan, Utah (Sunkist Kids), 4-0,5-0
5th - Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (unattached) inj. dft. Mark Simmonds, Minneapolis, Minn. (U.S. Navy)
7th - Brandon Doran, Yucca Valley, Calif. (Future Stars WC) pin Jamie Rakevich, Corvallis, Ore. (Orange Crush), 0:53