Winning his first U.S. Open title this year at 74 kg/163 lbs. is young talent Ben Provisor, who has quickly made his mark on the Senior level after success on the age-group levels. Provisor qualified for three U.S. Junior World Teams and won a number of national Greco-Roman titles as a youth. He has been coached by World champion and Olympic medalist Dennis Hall during his developmental years in Wisconsin, getting both technique and toughness from his mentor. Provisor was at 84 kg last year, but made a move back to 74 kg this season after going to the U.S. Olympic Training Center, a move which has worked out well.

2010 U.S. World Team member Jake Fisher placed second to Provisor in a close battle in the U.S. Open finals in Cleveland. Fisher had a breakthrough season last year, taking the top spot at the weight. He trained for years with close friend Justin Lester, who was on the 2009 World Team at this weight class before taking a year off and dropping back to 66 kg. Fisher won the Dave Schultz Memorial and the New York AC International this season, starting the year on a strong note.

Andy Bisek placed third at the U.S. Open this year, and was a champion at the Sunkist Kids International at this weight class. Like Fisher, he developed his Greco-Roman skills through the USOEC program at Northern Michigan, and now trains at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Bisek won a bronze medal at the respected Hungarian Grand Prix this winter.

An exciting young talent in the division is Kendrick Sanders, who became known in Greco-Roman by winning a number of Junior National titles with flair while in high school in Florida. Sanders initially pursued college wrestling, but turned his focus to Greco-Roman this year while training at the USOEC. He was fourth at the U.S. Open and has begun to increase his Senior level international experience this season.

A veteran seeking his first U.S. World Team is Aaron Sieracki, who was fifth at the U.S. Open in his first full season down at 74 kg/ Sieracki first competed for the U.S. Air Force, then joined the Army World Class Athlete Program. He placed as high as second on the Team USA ladder when he competed at 84 kg in the past. He was perhaps a bit undersized at 84 kg, but stayed at that weight when his older brother Keith was a star at 74 kg for many seasons. Aaron is making perhaps his final run at an Olympic Team in his new weight class.

Taking the final two qualifying spots from the U.S. Open were Chad Hemerson, who placed sixth, and Aaron Briggs, who was seventh. Briggs also won the University Nationals this year. Both have shown improvement in recent seasons.

Steven Forrest had his best season on the national level in 2010, when he placed second at the World Team Trials behind Fisher. A fierce competitor, Forrest qualified for the World Team Trials this year by winning a medal at the Grand Prix of Slovenia this winter. Earning spots in the field with titles at Regional events were Northern Plains champion James Johnson and Northeast champion Anton Gottfredson. Johnson is a past member of Greco-Roman Team USA with a second place finish at the 2005 World Team Trials.

The weight will features some young talents, with 70 kg University Nationals Champion Tanner Andrews, 70 kg University Nationals Runner-up Kalvin York and 74 kg University Nationals runner-up Corey Hope. Andrews and Hope are with the USOEC program, while York attends the Univ. of Wisconsin. York showed strong Greco-Roman abilities on the Cadet and Junior levels in high school.

This weight class could be very competitive, with only one past World Team member in the field in Jake Fisher, but a number of talented and improving athletes including U.S. Open champion Ben Provisor. Nobody in this division gets to sit out into the finals series, because Provisor has never placed in the top five at a World Championship. Expect some close matches and a few surprising outcomes in this weight during the Challenge Tournament.

2011 U.S. Open results at 74 kg/163 lbs. in Greco-Roman
1st - Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Jake Fisher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York Athletic Club), 1-0, 2-0
3rd - Andrew Bisek, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Kendrick Sanders, Homestead, Fla. (New York Athletic Club), 4-0, 0-3, 3-0
5th - Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army) dec. Chad Hemerson, Colorado Springs, Colo.  (New York Athletic Club), 0-1, 1-0, 3-0
7th - Aaron Briggs, Marquette, Mich. (New York Athletic Club) dec. Timothy Bleau, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army), Dec 1-0,2-0

2011 World Team Trials qualifiers at 74 kg/163 pounds in Greco-Roman
U.S. Open Champion – Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Open, second place – Jake Fisher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
U.S. Open, third place – Andrew Bisek, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm)
U.S. Open, fourth place – Kendrick Sanders, Homestead, Fla. (New York AC)
U.S. Open, fifth place – Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
U.S. Open, sixth place – Chad Hemerson, Colorado Springs, Colo.  (New York AC)
U.S. Open, seventh place – Aaron Briggs, Tucson, Ariz. (New York AC)
Northeast Regional Trials Champion – Anton Gottfredson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
Northern Plains Trials Champion – James Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
Past U.S. Olympic Team member – Jacob Deitchler, Ramsey, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
University Nationals True Second 74 kg– Corey Hope, Carol Stream, Ill. (USOEC)
University Nationals Champion 70 kg– Tanner Andrews, North Aurora, Ill. (USOEC)
University Nationals Runner-up 70 kg– Kalvin York, Belleville, Wis. (Badger WC)
Grand Prix of Slovenia bronze – Steven Forrest, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines)