Jordan Burroughs is a wrestler with an abundance of talent, potential and determination.

The 2011 NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy winner from Nebraska has continued to put those traits on display while switching his full-time focus to freestyle wrestling.

Burroughs won April’s U.S. Open title at 74 kg/163 lbs. and followed that feat by earning a big win over Russia’s Aniuar Geduev in the recent Beat the Streets dual meet in New York City.

The win by Burroughs at the U.S. Open clinches him a spot in the best-of-3 finals series at the World Team Trials, set for June 10-11 in Oklahoma City.

Burroughs will have to win a tough weight class at the Trials.

Past NCAA All-American Nick Marable won the first period against Burroughs in the finals of the U.S. Open before Burroughs rebounded to win. Marable followed that by winning the Pan American Championships. He beat World Cup champion Yunieski Blanco of Cuba in the Pan Am finals.

2009 World Team member Trent Paulson and 2010 World Team Trials runner-up Andrew Howe are expected to compete at the World Team Trials after missing the U.S. Open.

Trent Paulson made the World Team two years ago at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., but bumped up to 74 kilos last year and placed third at the Trials. He won the New York AC International earlier this season.

Howe won April’s University Nationals, downing Kyle Dake in a battle of NCAA champions in the finals. Dake, halfway to winning four NCAA titles, has received a wild card to compete in the Trials. 

2009 World Team member Dustin Schlatter also could be in the mix here. Schlatter was the No. 1 seed at the U.S. Open, but lost to veteran Kirk White in the quarterfinals. Schlatter then defaulted out of the tournament.

White, 34, dropped a close match to Burroughs in the U.S. Open semifinals before coming back to place third. White, a past NCAA champion, was second in the 2005 World Team Trials.

Past NCAA All-American Ryan Morningstar also has had a strong season in this weight class. He placed second in the New York AC and Dave Schultz events this season.

Past NCAA runner-up Mike Poeta is another top young freestyle wrestler in this class. Poeta placed fifth in the U.S. Open. Lloyd Rogers was sixth and Moza Fay seventh in the Open.

Past NCAA champions J.P. O’Connor and Gregor Gillespie also have qualified for the Trials.

NCAA runner-up Tyler Caldwell, who recently transferred from Oklahoma to Nebraska after losing to Burroughs in the 2011 NCAA finals, received a wild card to the Trials in this division.

2010 World Team member Travis Paulson is not expected to compete. He has been sidelined all season with an injury.

2011 U.S. Open results at 74 kg/163 lbs. in freestyle
1st – Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Nick Marable, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids), 0-3, 1-0, 3-0
3rd – Kirk White, Boise, Idaho (Bronco WC) dec. Ryan Morningstar, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC), 3-0, 1-0
5th – Mike Poeta, Naperville, Ill, Pa. (New York AC) dec. Lloyd Rogers, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), 4-0, 0-3, 1-1
7th – Moza Fay, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) injury default over J.P. O’Connor, Oxford, N.Y. (New York AC)

World Team qualifiers at 74 kg/163 lbs. in freestyle
U.S. Open Champion – Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Open, second place – Nick Marable, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Open, third place – Kirk White, Boise, Idaho (Bronco WC)
U.S. Open, fourth place – Ryan Morningstar, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC)
U.S. Open, fifth place – Mike Poeta, Naperville, Ill. (New York AC)
U.S. Open, sixth place – Lloyd Rogers, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
U.S. Open, seventh place – Moza Fay, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
Northeast Regional Trials Champion – Matt Moley, Bloomsburg, Pa. (Husky WC)
Northern Plains Trials Champion – Gregor Gillespie, Edinboro, Pa. (New York AC)
Past U.S. World Team member – Trent Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
Past U.S. World Team member – Dustin Schlatter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
Past U.S. World Team member – Travis Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
University Nationals Champion 74 kg – Andrew Howe, Cedar Lake, Ind. (Badger WC)
University Nationals True Second 74 kg – Zach Toal, Sidney, Ohio (Missouri Wrestling Foundation)
University Nationals Champion 70 kg – James English, York, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
National Coach wild card – J.P. O’Connor, Boston, Mass. (New York AC)
National Coach wild card – Tyler Caldwell, Wichita, Kan. (Sunkist Kids)
National Coach wild card – Kyle Dake, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC)