Tyrell Fortune poses with his bronze medal at World University Games with (from left) Team Leader Ken Honig plus U.S. coaches Bill Zadick and Andy Hrovat. Photo courtesy of Andy Hrovat

KAZAN, Russia – Tyrell Fortune (Portland, Ore./Titan Mercury WC/Grand Canyon WC) won a bronze medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in men’s freestyle on the opening day of wrestling at the World University Games.

Fortune won four of his five matches in the tournament, scoring three technical falls and a pin. He scored a pin over Aiaal Lazarev of Kyrgyzstan in 2:42 in his bronze-medal match.

His only loss came by a 5-7 margin in the third round to Oleksandr Khostianivski of Ukraine. When Khostianivski reached the gold medal finals, Fortune was pulled back into the repechage rounds.

Fortune was an NCAA Div. II champion for Grand Canyon this year, and was selected as the Div. II Wrestler of the Year. He was second in men’s freestyle at the 2013 U.S. World Team Trials.

"I thought Tyrell wrestled well. This was his first senior level world competition and he was not happy with the bronze. He believes he can become a world champion. With his attitude and skills he can do great things at the senior level. It is great that America has the depth that is does. All of our guys will push each other to reach great heights. Tyrell showed the world today what is is capable of doing," said U.S. coach Andy Hrovat. 

The three other wrestlers competing on Thursday were defeated, and did not qualify for the repechage rounds when their opponent failed to reach the gold medal match.

Winning their first bouts, then falling in the second round, were Nico Megaludis (Murraysville, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and James Green (Willingboro, N.J.,/NWTC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Megaludis is a two-time NCAA runner-up for Penn State and Green is an All-American for Nebraska.

Falling in his opening match was two-time NCAA champion Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. 

Three other U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers weighed in and received their draws for Friday’s competition.

2013 U.S. Open runner-up David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio/Nittany Lion WC), an NCAA champion and three-time NCAA finalist for Penn State, will open up against Zurabi Erbotsonashvili of Georgia at 74 kg/163 lbs. There are 26 athletes in this weight class.

At 60 kg/132 lbs., Wisconsin All-American Tyler Graff (Loveland, Colo./Badger WC) will face Valodya Frangulyan of Armenia in his first bout. Frangulyan was a 2012 Junior World bronze medalist. Graff competed on two past U.S. Junior World Teams. There are 20 athletes in this weight class.

Micah Burak (Colorado Springs, Colo./Hawkeye WC), an All-American at Penn, will face Rafael Toth of Hungary at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. in his opener. Toth was fifth in the 2010 and 2011 Junior World Championships. There are 18 athletes in this weight class.

WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES
At Kazan, Russia, July 11

Men’s freestyle results

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Nariman Israpalov (Russia)
Silver - Samat Nadrybek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan)
Bronze - Fumitaka Morizhita (Japan) 
Bronze – Berdakh Primbayev (Kazakhstan)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Magomed Kurbanaliev (Russia)
Silver - Devid Safaryan (Armenia)
Bronze - Ganzorig Mandakhnaran (Mongolia)
Bronze - Semen Radulov (Ukraine)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Gheorghita Stefan (Romania)
Silver - Shamil Kudiyamagomedov (Russia)
Bronze -  Piotr Ianulov (Moldova)
Bronze - Mohammadhossein Mohammadian (Iran)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Taha Akgul (Turkey)
Silver – Oleksandr Khostianivskyi (Ukraine)
Bronze – Parvis Hadi Basmanj (Iran)
Bronze – Tyrell Fortune (USA)

U.S. men’s freestyle results

55 kg/121 lbs. – Nico Megaludis, Murraysville, Pa., (Nittany Lion WC)
WIN Yashar Aliyev (Azerbaijan), 6-5
LOSS Yaser Heidargholineshad (Iran), 0-6

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – James Green, Willingboro, N.J., (NWTC)
WIN Petteri Martikainen (Finland), tech fall, 8-0
LOSS Ulukman Mamatov (Kyrgyzstan), 5-10

84 kg/185 lbs. – Ed Ruth, Harrisburg, Pa., (Nittany Lion WC)
LOSS Mohammad Mohammadian (Iran), tech fall, 0-7

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore., (Titan Mercury WC/Grand Canyon WC), bronze medal
WIN Jonus Rudavicus (Lithuania), tech fall, 8-0
WIN Giorgi Meshvildishvili (Georgia), tech fall, 8-0
LOSS Oleksandr Khostianivski (Ukraine), 5-7
WIN Aliaksei Dubko (Belarus), tech fall, 7-0
WIN Aiaal Lazarev (Kyrgyzstan), pin, 2:42

U.S. men’s freestyle draws for Friday

60 kg/132 lbs. – Tyler Graff, Loveland, Colo., (Badger WC)
Vs. Valodya Frangulyan (Armenia)

74 kg/163 lbs. – David Taylor, St. Paris, Ohio, (Nittany Lion WC)
Vs. Zurabi Erbotsonashvili (Georgia)

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Micah Burak, Colorado Springs, Colo., (Hawkeye WC)
Vs. Rafael Toth (Hungary)