USA lineups released for Jack Pinto Cup in Colorado Springs, Colo., Jan. 26

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Meagan Templeton-Lynch (USA Wrestling)
01/18/2013


Joe Betterman of the USA lifts an opponent from India at the 2012 Dave Schultz Memorial International. Larry Slater photo.

USA Wrestling has finalized the rosters for the U.S. teams that will be competing in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Saturday, January 26 in the 2013 Jack Pinto Cup, an annual Greco-Roman dual meet tournament formerly named the Kiki Cup. 

Event sponsor Kiki Kelley and USA Wrestling renamed the tournament in honor of Jack Pinto, a 6-year-old wrestler who lost his life in the tragic December shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. 

The tournament will feature a dual meet format, where each U.S. team will face teams from Japan, Kazakhstan, Sweden and Lithuania, but will not compete against each other. The rosters for the foreign teams and finalized tournament schedule were announced earlier this week.

Each of the four U.S. teams boasts several highly ranked and distinguished wrestlers. 

Team USA-I includes 2012 University World champion Max Nowry (Wheeling, Ill./USOEC/New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Also on the team is two time World Team member Joe Betterman (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and past World Team members Andrew Bisek (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and R.C. Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Headlining USA-II are past World Team member Jake Fisher (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) and 2011 Junior World bronze medalist Toby Erickson (East Helena, Mont./New York AC/USOEC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Also on the team are 2012 University World bronze medalist Jamel Johnson (Greensboro, N.C./YES Wrestling) and Armed Forces champion Nate Engel (Colorado Spirngs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 55 kg/121 lbs.

Wrestlers for USA-III include past Armed Forces champions Marco Lara at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Jon Anderson at 74 kg/163 lbs., both who won their titles for the U.S. Army in Colorado Springs, Colo. 

USA-IV will feature past Junior World Team members Isaiah Varona (Miami, Fla./USOEC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Nick Alvarez (Miami, Fla./USOEC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. University World Team members Zac Nielsen (Zimmerman, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 84 kg/185 lbs and Marcus Finau (Ewa Beach, Hawaii/New York AC/USOEC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. are also with USA-IV. 

The event will be webcast live on TheMat.com starting at 9:00 a.m. There will be eight rounds of competition throughout the day with the final dual meets starting at 5:00 p.m. Chris Moen and Richard Immel will make the call.

JACK PINTO CUP
at Colorado Springs, Colo. January 26

Tentative U.S. Team Rosters

USA Team #1
55 kg/121 lbs. – Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (USOEC/New York AC)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Joe Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Kendrick Sanders, Homestead, Fla. (New York AC)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Andrew Bisek, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Caylor Williams, Melbourne, Fla. (YES Wrestling)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Robert Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)

USA Team #2
55 kg/121 lbs. – Nate Engel, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Jamel Johnson, Greensboro, N.C. (YES Wrestling)
66 kg/145.5 – Ben Sanchez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Jake Fisher, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Peter Hicks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Pete Gounaridis, Leominster, Mass. (Sunkist Kids)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Toby Erickson, East Helena, Mont. (New York AC/USOEC)

USA Team #3
55 kg/121 lbs. – Isaiah Varona, Miami, Fla. (USOEC)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Ian Moser (U.S. Marines)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Marco Lara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – John Bozarth, El Paso, Texas (USOEC)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Jon Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Don Simmons, Sneads Ferry, N.C. (U.S. Marines)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Marcus Finau, Ewa Beach, Hawaii (New York AC/USOEC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – David Arendt, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Erik Nye, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)

USA Team #4
55 kg/121 lbs. – Dmitry Ryabchinsky, Brooklyn, N.Y. (New York AC/USOEC)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Joey DeNova, Fortson, Ga. (USOEC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Nick Alvarez, Miami, Fla. (USOEC)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Tanner Andrews, North Aurora, Ill. (USOEC)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Zac Nielsen, Zimmerman, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Ethan Dondlinger, Slinger, Wis. (USOEC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Parker Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (USOEC)

Jack Pinto Cup Schedule

9:00 am to 10:00 am Sweden vs. USA #3 and Lithuania vs. USA #4

10:00 am to 11:00 am Lithuania vs. USA #3 and Sweden vs. USA # 4

11:00 am to 12:00 pm Japan vs. USA #1 and Kazakhstan vs. USA #2

12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Kazakhstan vs. USA #1 and Japan vs. USA #2

1:00 pm to 2:00 pm BREAK

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm USA #3 vs. Japan and USA #4 vs. Kazakhstan 

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm USA #3 vs. Kazakhstan and USA #4 vs. Japan 

4:00 pm to 5:00 pm USA #1 vs. Lithuania and USA #2 vs. Sweden 

5:00 pm to 6:00 pm USA #1 vs. Sweden and USA #2 vs. Lithuania