Nine wrestlers head to the FILA Junior Greco-Roman World Championships

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
07/08/1999


Nine talented athletes will represent the United States at the 1999 FILA Junior Greco-Roman World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, August 12-15. This event will feature the best 17-20 year olds in the world. 

The nine wrestlers qualified at the 1999 FILA Junior Greco-Roman World Team Trials in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 22.

Two U.S. Olympic Training Center Resident Athletes, Darnell Lollis and Brandon McNab, will compete in Romania for the Junior Greco-Roman Team. McNab made his second World Team after competing for the 1998 World Team, while this year will be a first for Lollis. Lollis will compete at 127.7 pounds and McNab will be at 138.7 pounds.

Other Team USA members include: Jasper Hubbert of Minneapolis, Minn., at 110 pounds, Dustin Brewer of Kansas City, Mo., at 127.5 pounds, University of Pittsburgh wrestler Carl Fronhofer of Salem, N.Y., at 167.5 pounds, Mike Cuperas of Minnesota at 187.25 pounds and University of Minnesota wrestler Paul Devlin of Linvingston, N.J., at 286.5 pounds.

Mitch Marr of Wyoming, Minn., and Garrett Lowney of Minneapolis, Minn., came in second at the Trials. Jared Lawrence of Minnesota decisioned Marr at the Trials at 152 pounds; however, he will be competing for the freestyle team in Sydney, Australia, August 19-22. Justin Ruiz of Utah, two-time world team member, has decided to go on a mission during the summer months, and Lowney will take his place on the World Team at 213.75 pounds.

Head coach for the FILA Junior Greco-Roman U.S. team is Mark Fuller of Salt Lake City, Utah, a four-time Greco-Roman Olympian. Vern Zellner of New Jersey will be the assistant coach. Zellner coaches a Boys Club team in New Jersey. USA Wrestling Greco-Roman Developmental Coach Ike Anderson will also be traveling with the team.

The team had a preliminary training camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 1-13. They will travel to Romania for a mini-camp, August 3-11, and begin competition August 12.

FILA Junior wrestlers must be born between 1979-1981, and are all college underclassmen, military athletes or high school wrestling stars. There are nine weight classes: 110, 119, 127.75, 138.75, 152, 167.5, 187.25, 213.75, and 213.75-286.5.

1999 FILA Junior Greco-Roman World Team

50 kg/110 lbs. - Jasper Hubbert (Minneapolis, Minn.)

54 kg/119 lbs. - Dustin Brewer (Kansas City, Mo./Competitors Association)

58 kg/127.7 lbs. - Darnell Lollis (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

63 kg/138.7 lbs. - Brandon McNab (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC)

69 kg/152 lbs. - Mitch Marr (Wyoming, Minn.)

76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Carl Fronhofer (Salem, N.Y.)

85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Mike Cuperas ( Minn.)

97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Garrett Lowney (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm)

130 kg/286.5 lbs. - Paul Devlin (Livingston, N.J.)

Coaches--Head Coach - Mark Fuller of Utah

Assistant Coach - Vern Zellner of New Jersey