TORINO, Italy – Zack Nielsen (Zimmerman, Minn./Minnesota Storm) has qualified for a bronze medal match at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. in Greco-Roman on the final day of the 2010 FISU University World Championships, held at the Pala Ruffini arena on Saturday.

He will face Marcin Olejniczac of Poland in the bronze-medal match on Saturday afternoon.

He opened with a win over an opponent from Croatia, 1-0 3-0, then was defeated in the quarterfinals by Diagoro Timoncini of Italy, 0-1, 0-1. When Timoncini reached the finals, Nielsen was pulled back into the repechage. Nielsen defeated an opponent from Serbia , 2-0, 2-0 to qualify for the bronze-medal bout.

Nielsen is a member of the U.S. Olympic Education Program at Northern Michigan Univ.

The other two U.S. wrestlers competing Saturday have been eliminated from medal contention: Joe Kemmerer (Mountain Top, Pa./Virginia Gold) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Aaron Briggs (Tucson, Ariz./New York AC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. 

Kemmerer won his first match, but was eliminated in the quarterfinals. Briggs was eliminated in his opening bout.

More information to come.

FISU WORLD UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Torino, Italy, Oct. 30

Greco-Roman finals pairings

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Orkhan Pashayev (Azerbaijan) vs Ivan Blattsev (Russia)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold - Adel Baeitabar (Iran) vs Mykola Daragan (Ukraine)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold - Daigoro Timoncini (Italy) vs Moammadreza Akbari (Iran)

U.S. Greco-Roman performances

60 kg/132 lbs. - Joe Kemmerer (Mountain Top, Pa./Virginia Gold) 
WIN (Poland), 0-1, 4-2, 2-1
LOSS Takumi Yokohama (Japan)

74 kg/163 lbs. - Aaron Briggs (Tucson, Ariz./New York AC) 
LOSS (Italy), 1-1, 0-4

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Zack Nielsen (Zimmerman, Minn./Minnesota Storm)
WIN (Croatia), 1-0 3-0
LOSS Diagoro Timoncini (Italy), 0-1, 0-1
WIN (Serbia), 2-0, 2-0
Vs. Marcin Olejniczac (Poland)