The United States will send a talented team with some of the top wrestlers in the nation to compete in all three Olympic styles at the 2010 Pan American Championships in Monterrey, Mexico, April 30-May 2.

The Pan American Championships features nations from North America, Central America and South America.

Competition in Greco-Roman will be on Friday, April 30, followed by women’s freestyle on Saturday, May 1 and men’s freestyle on Sunday, May 2.

Leading the U.S. Greco-Roman team are 2006 World bronze medalist Lindsey Durlacher (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and 2005 World bronze medalist Justin Ruiz (Boise, Idaho/New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. 

The U.S. women’s freestyle team features 2008 World champion and 2008 U.S. Olympian Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. Another 2008 U.S. Olympian, Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Gator WC) will compete at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Age-group World champions on the team include 2007 Junior World champion Whitney Conder (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and 2008 University World champion Elena Pirozhkova (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.

The men’s freestyle team is headlined by 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Another 2009 U.S. World Team member, Trent Paulson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) will compete at 74 kg/163 lbs.

Of those attending the Pan American Championships, eight won U.S. Open titles this past weekend in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Included are 2010 Greco-Roman national champions Ruiz, Jake Fisher (Boise, Idaho/New York AC) at 74 kg/163 lbs., Cheney Haight, Boise, Idaho (New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Brandon Rupp (Colorado Springs, Colo. /New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. The 2010 women’s freestyle national champions on the tour are Pirozhkova and Jessica Medina (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 51 kg/112.2 lbs. Men’s freestyle wrestlers who were 2010 national champion are Obe Blanc (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and J.D. Bergman (Columbus, Ohio/New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Women wrestlers Chun and Pirozhkova are defending Pan American Championships champions, winning titles last year in Maracaibo, Venezuela. None of the U.S. entries in men’s freestyle or Greco-Roman won Pan Am titles last year.

PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Monterrey, Mexico, April 30-May 2

U.S. Greco-Roman team
55 kg/121 lbs. ��" Lindsey Durlacher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
60 kg/132 lbs. ��" Marco Lara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. ��" Ellis Coleman Oak Park, Ill. (New York AC/USOEC)
74 kg/163 lbs. ��" Jake Fisher, Boise, Idaho (New York AC)
84 kg/185 lbs. ��" Cheney Haight, Boise, Idaho (New York AC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. ��" Justin Ruiz, Boise, Idaho (New York AC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. ��" Brandon Rupp, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
Coaches ��" Dan Chandler, Minneapolis, Minn., Jim Gruenwald, Wheaton, Ill.

U.S. women’s freestyle team
48 kg/105.5 lbs. ��" Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
51 kg/112.2 lbs. ��" Jessica Medina, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
55 kg/121 lbs. ��" Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
59 kg/130 lbs. ��" Deanna Rix, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. ��" Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. ��" Christen Paysse, Fullerton, Calif. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. ��" Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Gator WC)
Coaches ��" National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.; USOEC assistant coach Tony DeAnda, Marquette, Mich.

U.S. men’s freestyle team
55 kg/121 lbs. ��" Obe Blanc, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
60 kg/132 lbs. ��" Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. ��" Tyler Nauman, Middletown, Pa. (Pittsburgh WC)
74 kg/163 lbs. ��" Trent Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
84 kg/185 lbs. ��" Keith Gavin, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. ��" J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. ��" Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
Coaches ��" Shawn Charles, Tempe, Ariz.; Chris Bono, Ames, Iowa

Medical
Dr. Jeremy Frank, Boston, Mass.
Randy Boswell, Couer d’Alene, Idaho

Officials
Cody Hesser, Gonzales, La.
Ron Fazio, Wayne, N.J.
Bill Grant, Inverness, Fla.

PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE
At Monterrey, Mexico, April 30-May 2

Friday, April 30
1:00 p.m. ��" Greco-Roman preliminaries and repechage
7:00 p.m. ��" Opening Ceremonies
7:30 p.m. ��" Greco-Roman finals

Saturday, May 1
1:00 p.m. ��" Women’s freestyle preliminaries and repechage
7:30 p.m. ��" Women’s freestyle finals

Sunday, May 2
1:00 p.m. ��" Men’s freestyle preliminaries and repechage
7:30 p.m. ��" Men’s freestyle finals