Max Nowry wrestling Daniel Coyne earlier this year at the Dave Schultz Memorial International. Larry Slater photo

The United States Olympic Education Center (USOEC) Greco-Roman wrestling program at Northern Michigan University will be competing against a team from Japan two times this week.

The first day of competition will be on Friday, March 9 and will be held at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Mich. Friday’s action will see the USOEC team compete against Japan beginning at 6:00 p.m. 

The final day of wrestling will be Monday, March 12 and will be held in Oshkosh, Wis., at Theisen Middle School. 

Monday’s competition will include the USOEC, Japan and an all-star team from Wisconsin colleges. Starting at 6:00 p.m., USOEC coach Robert Herman will give an address, followed by the opening ceremonies at 6:30 p.m. Immediately following the opening ceremonies, the wrestling competition will begin at 7:00 p.m.

The price of admission for the event is $5 for adults and $3 for students over 12 in Oshkosh. 

The USOEC wrestlers competing on March 9 include 2011 University National Champion, Aaron Briggs, wrestling at 74 kg/163 lbs. and 2011 FILA Junior Nationals Champion Josh Castellano, also competing at 74 kg/163 lbs. Also, competing at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. is Bo Beckman who was the 2010 University National Champion. 

Wrestling for the USOEC on March 12 are Max Nowry and Paul Tellgren, both competing at 55 kg/121 lbs. Tellgren placed second at the 2011 U.S. Open, while Nowry finished third. Lee Wildes, who finished second at the 2011 FILA Junior National Championship and will compete at 84 kg/ 185 lbs., Patrick Budd at 74 kg/163 lbs., and Toby Erickson at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. will also be competing for the USOEC.  Budd was a 2010 Cadet Pan American Championship Champion, while Erickson was a 2011 FILA Junior Greco World Champion team member and fifth at the Junior World Championships. 

Competing for the Japanese team are Yu Ito, who finished fifth at the 2011 Junior World Cup, competing at 55 kg/121 lbs., and Yoshitsugu Yoneyama at 120 kg/264.5 lbs., who finished seventh at the 2007 Asian Champioinships and ninth at the 2006 World University Championships.  Also wrestling for the Japanese team is Tsubasa Fukuda at 74 kg/163 lbs., who finished tenth at the 2010 Junior World Championships.

March 9, 2012 USOEC v Japan 
At Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Mich.

U.S. Roster
55 kg – Max Nowry, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
55 kg – Paul Tellgren, Anoka Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
60 kg – Dmitry Ryabchinskiy, Marquette, Mich. (New York AC)
60 kg – Thrasher Porcher, Chuluota, Fla. (USOEC)
66 kg – Bo Beckman, Pleasant Grove, Utah (New York AC)
74 kg – Josh Castellano, Wood Dale, Ill (USOEC)
74 kg – Aaron Briggs, Tucson, Ariz. (New York AC)
120 kg – Toby Erickson, East Helena Mont. (New York AC)

Japan Roster
55 kg – Yu Ito
55 kg – Norifui Shoho
60 kg – Kouta Masakane
60 kg – Seiya Kanazawa
60 kg – Shinya Kobayashi
66 kg – Mitsuhiko Ono
74 kg - Tsubasa Fukada
74 kg - Takashi Inada
120 kg – Yoshitsugu Yoneyama

USOEC v. Japan v. Wisconsin colleges all-star team
At Theisen Middle School, Oshkosh, Wis. 

U.S. Roster
55 kg – Dmitry Ryabchinskiy, Marquette, Mich. (New York AC)
60 kg – Thrasher Porcher, Chuluota, Fla. (USOEC)
66 kg – Alex Fleming, Sterling, Va. (USOEC)
74 kg – Patrick Budd, North Olmsted, Ohio (USOEC)
84 kg – Lee Wildes, Oviedo, Fla (USOEC)
96 kg – Chris Michael, North Olmsted Ohio (USOEC)
120 kg – Toby Erickson, East Helena Mont. (New York AC)

Japan Roster
55 kg – Yu Ito, Norifui Shoho
60 kg – Kouta Masakane
60 kg – Seiya Kanazawa
60 kg – Shinya Kobayashi
66 kg – Mitsuhiko Ono
74 kg - Tsubasa Fukada
74 kg - Takashi Inada
120 kg – Yoshitsugu Yoneyama

The Wisconsin colleges all-star team has yet to be determined