These two competitors in the 2010 NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Marines started their careers in different directions. 

Illinois’ Jordan Blanton wrestled his first season at 184 pounds while earning All-American honors at 174 last season, while Stanford’s Nick Amuchastegui wrestled his first two at 165 pounds. On November 21 at Selland Arena in Fresno, Calif., the two will meet at 174 pounds.

Both are returning All-Americans making their first appearance in the 45th edition of the All-Star Classic.

Blanton, a junior from Richmond, Ill., finished fifth last season at 174 pounds and went 25-9 en route to a fifth place spot on the podium at the 2010 NCAA Division I Championships. In high school, he was a four-time state finalist and three-time state champion.

Blanton is the 14th wrestler from Illinois to compete in the event and the first since Jimmy Kennedy’s victory over Jayson Ness of Minnesota at 133 pounds in the 2008 event.

Amuchastegui’s hometown also mirrors his abilities. He’s from Talent, Oregon. Last year, Amuchastegui came into the 2010 NCAA Division I Championships unseeded but ultimately finished fourth at 165 pounds.  In high school, Amuchastegui was a state champion as a junior. 

Moving up to a new weight class, he’s looking to improve on his 35-6 mark from last season and looks to become only Stanford’s third multi-time All-American in school history.

He’s the third Cardinal wrestler to appear in the main event portion of the All-Star Classic. Matt Gentry in 2004 and Tanner Gardner in 2006 were in the event, with Gentry winning over Jake Percival of Ohio in a high scoring 13-10 victory at 157 pounds. 

The two have never met in collegiate competition. 

The 45th Annual NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by The Marines will be held at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California on Sunday, November 21, 2010. The doors open at 2:00 p.m. The All-Star Classic follows a weekend of fundraising events. For more information about the tournament, purchasing tickets and the fundraising events, visit the www.nwcaonline.com's event page.  

To donate to the effort to save collegiate wrestling programs, visit http://nwca.ticketleap.net.

2010 NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by the Marines
Rankings by W.I.N. Magazine
125 - 
133- #1 Jordan Oliver, So. (Oklahoma St.) vs. #2 Andrew Hochstrasser, Sr. (Boise St.)
141- 
149- #4 Torsten Gillespie, Jr. (Edinboro) vs. #5 Kevin LeValley, Sr. (Bucknell)
157- 
165- 
174- #3 Jordan Blanton, Sr. (Illinois) vs. #6 Nick Amuchastegui, Jr. (Stanford)
184- 
197- 
285- 

Exhibitions:

About California USA Wrestling
California USA Wrestling is a non-profit organization committed to the success and health of their athletes and dedicated to the promotion and preservation of collegiate and international styles of amateur wrestling. As the official California affiliate of USA Wrestling, the national governing board for international-style amateur wrestling in the United States, the club is responsible for the organization and execution of sanctioned USA Wrestling events in the state. California USA Wrestling educates the community about the styles of wrestling and the value of being involved in the sport. They strive to provide fun, exciting and well-planned events and improve the quality of California wrestling at the competitive level. For more information, visit www.ca-usaw.org.

About NWCA
The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a professional organization dedicated to supporting and elevating the sport of amateur wrestling. NWCA provides leadership and guidance primarily to scholastic and collegiate wrestling programs, but is an advocate to all levels of wrestling. The NWCA promotes communication, recognizes achievement, recommends rules and regulations, sponsors events and serves as a resource for education and information pertaining to the sport of wrestling. Additionally, The NWCA strives to foster the sportsmanship and integrity that are the cornerstones of any competitive sport. For more information, visit http://www.nwcaonline.com.