USA Wrestling to send teams to international tours in freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle

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Jaimie McNab (USA Wrestling)
02/21/2002


USA Wrestling will be sending representatives overseas for the annual international wrestling tournaments in February and March. All three styles of wrestling, freestyle, Greco-Roman and women's freestyle will be on tour. These tournaments will be host to a number of nations and will provide valuable international experience for those representing the United States.     In the men's freestyle portion there will be three international tours. The Kiev Grand Prix in Kiev, Ukraine Feb. 23-24; the Yasar Dogu in Ankara, Turkey Feb. 28-March 2 and the Yarygin International in Krasnoarsk, Russia March 9-10.    The Kiev Grand Prix will feature four 2001 World team members. They are: Eric Guerrero (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy WC) at 60 kg, Chris Bono (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 66 kg, Bill Zadick (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 66 kg and 2001 World bronze medalist Joe Williams (Coralville, Iowa/ Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg. Making up the rest of the team will be Eric Akin (Overland Park, Kan./Dave Schultz WC) at 55 kg, 2000 Olympian Charles Burton (Bloomington, Ind./New York AC) at 84 kg, Tim Hartung (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 96 kg and Tolly Thompson (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg.    Competing in the Yasar Dogu tournament will be Zadick, Williams, Burton and Hartung. They will be joined by Teague Moore (Pittsburgh, Pa./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg, Michael Lightner (Marlow, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg and Orville Palmer (Norman, Okla./Team Excel) at 120 kg.    The Uregan International tournament will have both men's and women's freestyle. Travelling to this tournament for the men will be T.J. Hill (Colorado Springs, Colo./Lions Den) at 55 kg, Jody Strittmatter (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 55 kg, Eric Jeurgans (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 60 kg,  2000 Olympian Cary Kolat (Morgantown, W.Va./Dave Schultz WC) at 66 kg, Doug Schwab (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye, WC) at 66 kg, Donny Pritzlaff (Madison, Wis./Dave Schultz WC) at 74 kg, Lee Fullhart (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 84 kg and Chad Lamer (Coralville, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 96 kg.    In the women's division, there are three representatives who will be competing at the Uregan International. One of them, Sara McMann (Lock Haven, Pa./Sunkist Kids), was a member of the 2001 World team. McMann will be competing at 63 kg. Joining her will be Jenny Wong (Woodbury, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 55 kg and Katie Downing (Pendleton, Ind./UM-Morris) at 67 kg.    In the men's Greco-Roman portion there will be four tours. They include a tournament in Komotini, Greece Feb. 23-24; the Petrov Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria March 2-3; the Hungary Grand Prix in Nyirgyhaza, Hungary March 2-3 and the Trophy Milone in Faenze, Italy March 10-11.    Competing for the U.S. team in Komotini, Greece will be Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg, a 2000 Olympian and 2001 World team member. Joining him will be Joe Espinoza (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) at 55 kg, Joe Warren (Colorado Springs, Colo./Michigan WC) at 60 kg, Mike Ellsworth (Colorado Springs, Colo./Michigan WC) at 66 kg, T.C. Dantzler (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 74 kg, Keith Wilson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg and Ethan Bosch (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 84 kg.    The same line up will be used in the Petrov Tournament that was used in Greece along with the additions of 2001 World team member Keith Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 74 kg and 1999 World team member Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 120 kg.    The Hungary Grand Prix will feature four U.S. wrestlers.  Glenn Nieradka (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 60 kg, James Shillow (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marine Corps) at 66 kg, Oscar Wood (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 66 kg and Jake Clark (Woodbridge, Va./U.S. Marine Corps) at 84 kg.    The same line up will be used in the Trophy Milone that was used in the Hungary Grand Prix with one addition.  2000 Olympian Heath Sims (Huntington Beach, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) will be joining the team at 74 kg for this final tour.    Check TheMat.com for results.