USA WRESTLING NAMES 1999 CHAMPIONSHIP BELT SERIES WINNERS ON AGE GROUP LEVELS, AS GALLICK, JAYNE, LAWRENCE AND KIM WIN TITLESUSA Wrestling has named the winners of the 1999 Championship Belt Series on the age-group levels. This exciting system honors America's best wrestlers in each of the USA Wrestling's four age-groups for their accomplishments during the year.
The top point scorer in the series on the Cadet, Junior, FILA Junior World, University and Senior levels receives a handsome plaque. The top 10 point scorers in each age level receive a certificate.
Athletes only receive points on the specific age level where they compete. Points can not transfer from one age level to another age level. The 1999 age-group Championship Belt Series winners are:
Cadet champion - Nate Gallick, Tucson, Ariz.
Nate Gallick of Tuscon, Ariz. won the Cadet level Championship Belt Series with 255 points, defeating runner-up Willy Holst of Prescott, Wis. by 25 points. Cadets are 15- and 16-year-old athletes.
Gallick was a double champion at the AdvoCare Cadet Nationals, winning both the freestyle and Greco-Roman titles at 103.5 pounds. At the FILA Cadet World Team Trials, Gallick was the freestyle champion at 101.5 pounds, and placed second in Greco-Roman. He was also a Western Regional champion in both styles.
Holst placed third in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the AdvoCare Cadet Nationals. He wrestled 88 pounds in freestyle and 94.5 pounds in Greco-Roman. At the FILA Cadet World Team Trials, he was second in both styles at 92.5 pounds. Holst was also a Northern Plains Regional champion in both styles.
Junior champion - Mark Jayne, Elyria, Ohio
Mark Jayne of Elyria, Ohio won the Junior level Championship Belt Series with 231 points, defeating runner-up Sterling Oglesby of Gillette, Wyo. by 51 points. Junior wrestlers are athletes in grades 9-12.
Jayne was the Greco-Roman champion at the Asics Tiger Junior Nationals at 123 pounds and placed third at the Junior Nationals in freestyle. He was a double champion at the Northeast Junior Regionals, where he also won the most falls award in both styles and was named Outstanding Wrestler in Greco-Roman. He also claimed a double title at the Southern Plains Junior Regionals.
Oglesby was a Greco-Roman champion at the Asics Tiger Junior Nationals at 98 pounds, and placed seventh in freestyle. He won the freestyle tournament at the Rocky Mountain Regionals and the Greco-Roman tournament at the Northern Plains Regionals. He was also second in freestyle at the Western Junior Regionals and third in freestyle at the Northern Plains Regionals.
FILA Junior World champion - Jared Lawrence, Sandpoint, Idaho
Jared Lawrence of Sandpoint, Idaho claimed the FILA Junior World Championship Belt Series with 148 points, edging runner-up Tommy Rowlands of Columbus, Ohio by just two points. FILA Junior World athletes are between the ages of 17-20.
Lawrence was a double champion at the FILA Junior Nationals/World Team Trials, winning the 152-pound class in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. He also placed fifth at the Junior World Freestyle Championships. Lawrence, who competes for the Minnesota Storm club, is currently a freshman at the Univ. of Minnesota.
Rowlands was the FILA Junior Nationals/World Team Trials champion in freestyle and placed third in Greco-Roman. He also placed fourth at the Junior World Freestyle Championships. Rowlands, who competes for the Ohio WC, is now a freshman at Ohio State Univ.
University champion - Sean Kim, Rosemead, Calif.
Sean Kim of Rosemead, Calif. claimed the University level Championship Belt Series with 100 points, defeating runner-up Chael Sonnen of Tualatin, Ore. by 10 points. University athletes are 18-24 years old and their class has graduated high school.
Kim was a double champion at the University Nationals in 110 pounds, winning both the freestyle and Greco-Roman titles. He is a post-graduate wrestler, who competes for the East Los Angeles WC.
Sonnen, a student at the Univ. of Oregon who competes for the Dave Schultz WC, won the University Nationals in Greco-Roman at 187.25 pounds, and placed third at the University Nationals in freestyle.
The Belt Series is based upon a point system, rewarding athletes for actual success in competition. Athletes who place in the major USA Wrestling events on the regional, national and international levels scored points in the series.
Each event is weighed according to importance and difficulty, in order to determine the most successful wrestler during the season. A wrestler also receives points for receiving the Most Outstanding Wrestler award and Most Falls award at the events. On the age group levels, points scored in both freestyle and Greco-Roman are combined for the final standings.
1999 Championship Belt Series Standings
Cadet Belt Series Top Ten: 1. Nate Gallick, Tucson, Ariz., 255 pts.; 2. Willy Holst, Prescott, Wis., 230 pts.; 3. Harry Lester, Akron, Ohio, 225 pts.; 4. Todd Meneely, Omaha, Neb., 192 pts.; 5. Kole Tolliver, Great Falls, Mont., 185 pts.; 6. Zach Lamano, Layton, Utah, 157 pts.; 7. (tie) C.P. Schlatter, Westerville, Ohio and Matt Herrington, Cambridge, N.Y., 155 pts.; 9. Luke Smith, Chippewa Falls, Wis., 152 pts.; 10. Ryan Halsey, Oceanside, Calif., 150 pts.
Junior Belt Series Top Ten: 1. Mark Jayne, Elyria, Ohio, 230 pts.; 2. Sterling Oglesby, Gillette, Wyo., 180 pts.; 3. (tie) Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio and Justin Pearch, Molalla, Ore., 170 pts.; 5. Clint Wolfley, Blackfoot, Idaho, 164 pts.; 6. Mike Christian, Forest Park, Wash., 152 pts.; 7. Mike Fiedler, Sauk Center, Minn., 149 pts.; 8. Jereme Maye, Crivitz, Wis. and Leo Bugaj, El Reno, Okla., 145 pts.; 10. Josh McLay, Hastings, Minn., 140 pts.
FILA Junior World Belt Series Top Ten: 1. Jared Lawrence, Sandpoint, Idaho, 148 pts.; 2. Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio, 146 pts.; 3. T.J. Hill, Farmington, Mo., 130 pts; 4. Garrett Lowney, Appleton, Minn., 125 pts.; 5. Ben Martinez, Pixley, Calif., 119 pts.; 6. Damion Hahn, Lakewood, N.J., 106 pts; 7. Dustin Brewer, Kansas City, Mo., 97 pts; 8. Sean Gray, Blacksburg, Va., 90 pts; 9. (tie) Andy Bowlby, Newburg, Ore. and Jacob Clark, South St. Paul, Minn., 85 pts.
University Belt Series Top Ten: 1. Sean Kim, Rosemead, Calif., 100 pts.; 2. Chael Sonnen, Tualatin, Ore. 90 pts; 3. (tie) Joey Clark, Woodbridge, Va., Ernesto Howard, Chicago, Ill. and Barrett Golyer, Minneapolis, Minn., 85 pts; 6. (tie) Corey Taylor, Washington D.C. and Dave Anderton, Blackfoot, Idaho, 80 pts.; 8 (tie) Daron Harvey, Colorado Springs, Colo., Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo., Cody Sanderson, Heber City, Utah and Justin Ruiz, Salt Lake City, Utah, 60 pts.
Belt Series History
Cadet Level Champions: 1999 - Nate Gallick (AZ); 1998 - Matt Hasbrook (IN); 1997 - Joshua Etu (NY); 1996: Pat Cadwallader (CA); 1995: Cael Sanderson (UT) and David Stoltz (IL); 1994 - J.R. Plienis (MD); 1993 - Kasey Gilliss (ND); 1992 - Sean Hage (GA); 1991 - Brandon Slay (TX); 1990 - Troy Spencer (WI)
Junior Level Champions: 1999 - Mark Jayne (OH); 1998 - Jacob Clark (MN); 1997 - Justin Ruiz (UT); 1996: Brad Vering (NE); 1995: Sean Hage (GA); 1994 - Sean Hage (GA); 1993 - Cody Sanderson (UT); 1992 - Jason Reitmeier (MN); 1991 - Reese Andy (MT); 1990 - Brandon Paulson (MN)
FILA Junior World/Espoir Level Champions: 1999 - Jared Lawrence (ID); 1998 - Don Pritzlaff (NJ); 1997 - Shane Zajac (IL); 1996 - Leroy Vega (IN); Stephen Neal (CA); Casey Cunningham (MI) and Scott Schatzman (MO); 1995: Jason Gleasman (NY); 1994 - Gordon Mobley (NC) and Nick Nutter (OH); 1993: Jason Gleasman (NY); 1992 - Jason Klohs (MN); 1991 - Brandon Paulson (MN); 1990 - Sam Henson (MO)
University Level Champions: 1999- Sean Kim (CA); 1998 - Anthony Esposito (IL); 1997 - Billy Pierce (MN); 1996 - Dan Hicks (VA) and Biff Walizer (PA); 1995 - Lindsay Durlacher (IL); 1994 - Matt Lindland (OR); 1993 - Tolly Thompson (IA); 1992 - Mike Fusilli (NY); 1991 - Steve King (MN); 1990 - Sam Henson (MO)