Vote for Varner, Augello and Freestyle Cadet World Team for USOC Athletes of Month on Twitter

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
09/07/2011


The U.S. Olympic Committee has announced its Twitter voting is now open for the August Male & Female Athletes and Team of the Month.

Vote for Jake Varner

Vote for Haley Augello

Vote for the Cadet Freestyle World Team

Representing USA Wrestling in men’s freestyle is Jake Varner, who won the title at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. at the Ion Corneanu Memorial in Tagoviste, Romania on August 7

Representing USA Wrestling in women’s freestyle is Haley Augello, who won a gold medal at 46 kg/101.25 lbs. at the FILA Cadet World Championships on August 26.

Representing USA Wrestling for the team award is the U.S. Freestyle Cadet World Team, which placed a strong fifth at the 2011 Cadet World Championships in Szombathely, Hungary, August 23-24 with two medalists and nine placewinners.

Fans are encouraged to vote and re-tweet the poll links.

SportsMan of the Month for August 2011
Sport: Freestyle wrestling
Athlete: Jake Varner
Position: 96 kg/211.5 lbs. in freestyle wrestling

Jake Varner won three matches to capture the title at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. at the Ion Corneanu Memorial in Tagoviste, Romania on August 7. This is a tuneup event prior to the 2011 World Championships.

Varner downed past World silver and bronze medalist Krassimir Kotchev of Bulgaria 4-0, 0-1, 1-0 in the freestyle finals. Kotchev was second in the World in 2001 and third in 2003 and is a two-time Olympian.

Varner opened the tournament by sweeping Macedonia’s Dejan Bogdanov 6-0, 7-0 before downing Germany’s William Harth 6-0, 2-0.

Varner, a quarterfinalist at the 2009 World Championships, will compete at the World Wrestling Championships in Istanbul, Turkey on September 17. Varner was a two-time NCAA champion and four-time finalist for Iowa State.

SportsWoman of the Month for August 2011
Sport: Women’s Freestyle Wrestling
Athlete: Haley Augello
Position: 46 kg/101.25 lbs. in women’s freestyle wrestling

Haley Augello of Illinois won a gold medal at 46 kg/101.25 lbs. at the FILA Cadet World Championships on August 26. FILA Cadets are athletes who are 15-17 years old.

Augello defeated Sachi Katagiri of Japan in the gold-medal finals, 2-6, 4-0, 1-0. After losing the first period, Augello shut out Katagiri to sweep the final two periods and earn the gold medal.

Augello won three matches to reach the finals. She opened with wins over Nazgul Nurakhan of Kazakhstan and Ritu Ritu of India. In the semifinals, she stopped Doina Roscovanu of Moldova, 1-0, 3-1. 

Augello won her second straight Junior Nationals title in Fargo, N.D. this summer, and was a Body Bar FILA Cadet Nationals champion in Kissimmee, Fla. in the spring. She competes for the New York Athletic Club, and trains at Team Overtime in Illinois.

Team of the Month for August 2011
Sport: Men’s freestyle wrestling
Team: 2011 U.S. Men’s Freestyle Cadet World Team

The United States placed a strong fifth as a team in men’s freestyle at the 2011 Cadet World Championships in Szombathely, Hungary, August 23-24.

Team USA placed fifth in the final team standings with 49 points. Russia won the title with 79 points, followed by Iran with 69, India with 65 and Kazakhstan with 56.

The U.S. finished with two medals, Adam Coon’s gold medal at 100 kg/220 lbs. and a bronze medal by Sam Brooks at 85 kg/187.25 lbs.

Three other U.S. wrestlers placed fifth in the standings, after dropping bronze-medal bouts: Dalton Brady at 50 kg/110.25 lbs., Joey Lavallee at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Oliver Pierce at 69 kg/152 lbs. 

Nine of the 10 U.S. men’s freestyle entries placed in the top 10 of their divisions. The other placewinners were Gannon Volk (7th at 42 kg/92.5 lbs.), Tommy Thorn (7th at 46 kg/101.25 lbs.), Zane Richards (7th at 58 kg/127.75 lbs.) and Thomas Gilman (10th at 54 kg/119 lbs.)

2011 U.S. Men’s Freestyle Cadet World Team
42 kg/92.5 lbs. - Gannon Volk, Burnsville, Minn., 7th
46 kg/101.25 lbs.- Tommy Thorn, St. Michael, Minn., 7th
50 kg/110.25 lbs. - Dalton Brady, Queen Creek, Ariz., 5th
54 kg/119 lbs. - Thomas Gilman, Omaha, Neb., 10th
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Zane Richards, Carbondale, Ill., 7th
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Joey Lavallee, Reno, Nev., 5th
69 kg/152 lbs. - Oliver Pierce, Allen, Texas, 5th
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Jordan Rogers, Spokane, Wash., dnp/17th
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Sam Brooks, Oak Park, Ill., 3rd
100 kg/220 lbs. - Adam Coon, Fowlerville, Mich., 1st
Coach – National Freestyle Developmental Coach Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach – John Peterson, Comstock, Wis.