COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Championship Final Series matchups have been set with the completion of the Challenge Tournament at the 2012 University World Team Trials on Saturday morning.

This event will set the U.S. teams in men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman which will compete in the World University Championships in Kourtane, Finland, October 2-7.

The winners of Saturday morning’s Challenge Tournament have advanced to the Championship Series, where they will face the 2012 University Nationals champion in their weight class in a best-of-three series for the spot on the team.

The 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Challenge Tournament  in men’s freestyle was especially loaded. Included in the field were 2012 NCAA champions Kellen Russell of Michigan, competing for the Cliff Keen WC, and Frank Molinaro of Penn State, competing for the Scarlet Knight WC. Two other athletes who qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials included Kevin LeValley of the Minnesota Storm and Adam Hall of the New York AC.

In the quarterfinals, going on at the same time on side-by-side mats, Molinaro defeated Hall, 1-0, 3-1 and LeValley stopped Russell, 3-0, 1-0. Both went on to win their semifinals bouts, setting up a big showdown in the Challenge Tournament finals.

Molinaro won the first period 1-0 on a takedown, but LeValley stormed by with a strong 3-0 win in period two. In the deciding third period, Molinaro hit a deep double leg to take LeValley to his back and held for an additional point for a quick four-point lead and held on to win 4-0.

Molinaro will face 2012 University Nationals champion Jason Chamberlain of the Broncs Wrestling Club in the Championship Series.

Taking the 84 kg/185 lbs. Challenge Tournament title was a 2011 NCAA champion from Iowa State, Jon Reader of the Sunkist Kids, who defeated former Oklahoma State star Clayton Foster of the Wyoming RTC in the finals, 1-0, 3-3. Reader scored a takedown in the first period, and took the tiebreaker in the second period by scoring a two-point move. Reader will face Michael Letts of Navy Mat Club in the final series.

Another loaded weight class was 55 kg/121 lbs., which featured a number of top college stars and those with extensive freestyle success. The Challenge Tournament finals featured a pair of NCAA All-Americans from the Big Ten, as Zach Sanders of the Minnesota Storm defeated Jesse Delgado of the Illini WC. Sanders is a graduate of the Univ. of Minnesota, while Delgado competes for Illinois. Sanders will face 2012 University Nationals champion Evan Silver of the Cardinal Wrestling Club in the Championship Series.

Other men’s freestyle Challenge Tournament winners who advance to the finals series were Jimmy Kennedy of the New York AC at 60 kg/132 lbs., Colton Sponseller of the New York AC at 84 kg/185 lbs.,Richard Perry of Husky WC at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Zac Thomusseit of the Pittsburgh WC at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Kennedy and Sponseller are college graduates now competing on the Senior level. Kennedy starred at Illinois and Sponseller at Ohio State. Perry competes for Bloomsburg and Thomusseit for Pittsburgh.

Among those who were able to sit out until the Championship Series finals in men’s freestyle after winning 2012 University Nationals titles are 2011 NCAA champion Dustin Kilgore of Kent State at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and 2012 NCAA champion Tony Nelson of Minnesota at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

In Greco-Roman, winning the Challenge Tournament at 84 kg/185 lbs. was Zachary Nielsen of the Minnesota Storm, who stopped Don Simmons of U.S. Marine Corps, 6-0, 1-0 in the finals. Nielsen was fifth at the 2010 University World Championships, competing at 96 kg. He will face 2012 University Nationals champion Mark Stenberg of the New York AC in the best of three championship series.

The Challenge Tournament champion at  74 kg/ 163 lbs. in Greco-Roman was 2012 Armed Forces champion Jon Anderson of U.S. Army, who beat Terrence Zaleski of Yes Wrestling, 1-0, 7-0 in the final bout. Anderson advances to battle Tanner Andrews of New York AC in the finals series

In a battle of U.S. Olympic Education Center teammates at 96 kg/ 211.5 lbs., Ethan Dondlinger of the USOEC defeated two-time Junior World Team member Marcus Finau of the New York AC, 1-0, 2-2 in the Challenge Tournament final. Dondlinger will wrestle Caylor Williams of YES Wrestling in the best of three championship series.

Other Greco-Roman Challenge Tournament champions were Mike Fuenffinger of the Minnesota Storm at 55 kg/121 lbs., Jamel Johnson of YES Wrestling at 60 kg/132 lbs., Joe Locksmith of the Navy Mat Club at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Parker Betts of the Minnesota Storm at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Among the Greco-Roman athletes eligible to sit out until the final series by winning the University Nationals is 2011 Junior World bronze medalist Toby Erickson at 120 kg/264.5 lbs., who is with the USOEC program at Northern Michigan Univ.

To participate in this event, an athlete has to be currently registered and working towards a degree at a university or similar academic institution, or have completed a university degree in the year preceding the event.

2012 UNIVERSITY WORLD TEAM TRIALS
At Colorado Springs, Colo., August 18

Men's Freestyle Challenge Tournament

55 kg/121 lbs. 
1st – Zach Sanders (Minnesota Storm) dec. Jesse Delgado (Illini Wrestling Club), 1-5, 1-1, 1-0
3rd - 3rd - Frank Perrelli (NYAC) dec. Kyle Hutter (Hampton Roads Wrestling Academy), 5-0, 1-0
Sanders to face Evan Silver (Cardinal Wrestling Club) in best of three championship series.

60 kg/132 lbs.
1st – Jimmy Kennedy (New York AC) dec. Andrew Hochstrasser (Bronco Wrestling Club), 1-0, 1-0
3rd - 3rd - Jarrod Garnett (NRV) dec. Brian Owen (Bronco Wrestling Club), 0-8, 2-1, 2-1
Kennedy to face Chris Dardanes (Minnesota Storm) in best of three championship series.

66 kg/145.5 lbs. 
1st – Frank Molinaro (Scarlet Knight WC) dec. Kevin LeValley (Minnesota Storm), 1-0, 0-4, 5-0
3rd - 3rd - Adam Hall (New York AC) dec. Kyle Borshoff (DCAC),  1-0, 1-0
Molinaro to face Jason Chamberlain (Broncs Wrestling Club) in best of three championship series.

74 kg/163 lbs.
1st - Colton Sponseller (New York AC) dec. Josh Asper (Terrapin Wrestling Club), 0-4, 1-0, 2-0
3rd - Nate Carr (Unattached) dec. Bobby Barnhisel (Navy Mat Club),  1-0, 1-0
Sponseller to face Jake Salazar (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club) in best of three championship series.

84 kg/185 lbs.
1st - Jon Reader (Sunkist Kids) dec. Clayton Foster (Wyoming RTC), 1-0, 3-3
3rd - Dwight Howes (Denver All-Stars) dec. Austin Trotman (OTC), 7-1, 0-1, 3-2
Reader to face Michael Letts (Navy Mat Club) in best of three championship series.

96 kg/211.5 lbs. 
1st - Richard Perry (Husky Wrestling Club) dec. Alfonso Hernandez (Wyoming RTC), 1-0, 2-0
3rd - Scott Schiller (Minnesota Storm) dec. Matt Wilps (Pittsburgh Wrestling Club), 1-1, 0-4, 2-0
Perry to face Dustin Kilgore (Sunkist Kids) in best of three championship series.

120 kg/264.5 lbs. 
1st –Zac Thomusseit (Pittsburgh Wrestling Club) dec. Christian Flavin (Wrestling U of GA), 1-0, 3-0
3rd - Matthew Meuleners (Norwood Young America) dec. Kevin Innis (Brickhouse), 2-0, 3-0
Thomusseit to face Tony Nelson (Minnesota Storm) in best of three championship series.

Greco-Roman Challenge Tournament

55 kg/ 121.25 lbs.
1st - Mike Fuenffinger (Minnesota Storm), uncontested
Fuenffinger to face Max Nowry (New York AC) in best of three championship series.

60 kg/ 132.25 lbs.
1st - Jamel Johnson (Yes Wrestling) dec. Eric Chandler (YES Wrestling), 0-1, 4-0, 2-0
3rd - Oliver Lopez (New York AC) dec. Tyler Chapple (Unattached),  5-0, 3-3, 2-0
Johnson to face Paul Tellgren (Minnesota Storm) in best of three championship series.

66 kg/ 145.5 lbs.
1st - Joe Locksmith (Navy Mat Club) inj. dft. over Santonio Thompson (Yes Wrestling)
Locksmith to face Nick Alvarez (USOEC) in best of three championship series.

74 kg/ 163 lbs.
1st - Jon Anderson (Army) dec. Terrence Zaleski (Yes Wrestling), 1-0, 7-0
3rd - Bo Beckman (New York AC) dec. Caleb Smith (Unattached), 2-0, 1-0
Anderson to face Tanner Andrews (New York AC) in best of three championship series.

84 kg/ 185 lbs. 
1st - Zachary Nielsen (Minnesota Storm) dec. Don Simmons (U.S. Marine Corps), 6-0, 1-0
3rd - Josef Rau (Elmhurst )
Nielsen to face Mark Stenberg (New York AC) in best of three championship series.

96 kg/ 211.5 lbs. 
1st - Ethan Dondlinger (USOEC) dec. Marcus Finau (New York AC), 1-0, 2-2
3rd - Dominique Walker (Southeast Fire) dec. Joel Bauman (Minnesota Storm), 2-1, 2-0
Dondlinger to face Caylor Williams (YES Wrestling) in best of three championship series.

120 kg/ 264.5 lbs.
1st - Parker Betts (Minnesota Storm) dec. Henry Chirino (Bear Cave), 2-0, 1-0
3rd - Anthony Edgren (Unattached) pin Zack Wilcox (MWC), 0:57 
Betts to face Toby Erickson (New York AC) in best of three championship series.