U.S. names 2002 Pan American Championships teams for freestyle, Greco-Roman and women in Caracas, Ve

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Jaimie McNab (USA Wrestling)
03/04/2002


USA Wrestling has announced the U.S. lineups for the 2002 Pan American Championships, set for Caracas, Venezuela, March 14-17.     Held three of every four years during the non-Pan American Games years, the Pan American Championships features the best wrestlers in North, Central and South America.  The Greco-Roman tournament will be held March 14-15, the women's tournament will be held March 15-16 and the freestyle tournament will be held March 16-17.     This will be the first Pan American Championships that will feature the new international weight classes established by FILA. As of Jan. 1, 2002 the weight classes for all three styles of wrestling were changed to seven classes, these new weight divisions are as follows:     Men's freestyle and Greco-Roman: 121 lbs., 132 lbs., 145.5 lbs., 163 lbs., 185 lbs., 211.5 lbs. and 264.5 lbs.     Women: 105.5 lbs., 112 lbs., 121 lbs., 130 lbs., 138.5 lbs., 147.5 lbs. and 158.5 lbs.     The U.S. Greco-Roman team will be led by three U.S. Nationals champions including Jeff Cervone (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force) who will compete at 121 pounds. 2000 Olympian Kevin Bracken (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) is expected to compete at 145.5 pounds and Keith Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) will wrestle at 163 pounds.     2000 Olympian Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) will compete for the U.S. at 132 pounds. Gruenwald has finished second in the 2001 U.S. Nationals.      Others competing for the U.S. were in the top five placings at 2001 Nationals. Ethan Bosch (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) placed third and is expected to compete at 185 pounds. Placing fourth was Ross Thatcher (State College, Pa./NYAC) who will compete at 211.5 pounds and taking second was Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) who will be competeing at 264.5 pounds.      The U.S. freestyle team will be led by 2001 World silver medalist Brandon Eggum (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) who will wrestle at 184.8 pounds.     Two U.S. Nationals champions who will be competing are Erik Akin (Overland Park, Kan./Dave Schultz WC) will wrestle at 121 lbs. and Eric Guerrero (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy WC) will be compete at 132 lbs.      Second place finishers at the 2001 U.S. Nationals who will be a part of the freestyle team include: Chris Bono (Ames, Iowa/ Sunkist Kids), Byron Tucker (Norman, Okla./Team Excel) and Tolly Thompson (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids). Bono, who was a member of the 2001 Wolrd team, will compete at 145.5 pounds, Tucker will wrestle at 163 pounds and Thompson will grapple with the 264.5-pounders.      Completing the freestyle team for the U.S. is Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) competing in the 211.5 pound weight class.     The women will field a strong team who were all top placers at the 2001 U.S. Nationals. Leading the way will be a trio of champions. Stephanie Murata (Lansing, Mich./Sunkist Kids) will be competing at 121 lbs., Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) will wrestle at 147.5 pounds and Iris Smith(Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) will be grappling at 158.5 pounds. Both Murata and Montgomery won World sivler medals in 2001.     Tonya Evinger (Bates City, Mo./Unattached), who placed second at last year's national tournament, will be wrestling at 130 pounds.     Rounding out the women's line up will be Clarissa Chun (Marshall, Mo./Missouri Valley WC) at 105.5 pounds, Patricia Miranda (Saratoga, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) at 112 pounds and Grace Magnussen (Marshall, Mo./Dave Schultz WC) at 138.5 pounds. Chun and Miranda both finished third at the 2001 U.S. Nationals. Magnussen placed fourth at last year's national tournament.    PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS  at Caracas, Venezuelz, March 14-17  U.S. Greco-Roman team  55 kg/121 lbs. - Jeff Cervone, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Jim Gruenwald, Colroado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Kevin Bracken, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC)  74 kg/163 lbs. - Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Ethan Bosch, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Ross Thatcher, State College, Pa. (NYAC)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  Coaches - Dan Chandler, Greg Zavala  U.S. Men's freestyle team  55 kg/121 lbs. - Eric Akin, Overland Park, Kan. (Dave Schultz WC)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla. (Sunkist Kids)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Chris Bono, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)  74 kg/163 lbs. - Byron Tucker, Norman, Okla. (Team Excel)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Brandon Eggum, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Odla. (Gator WC)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tolly Thompson, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids)  Coaches - Chris Horpel, Kevin Jackson  U.S. Women's freestyle team  48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Clarissa Chun, Marshall, Mo. (Missouri Valley College)  51 kg/112 lbs. - Patricia Miranda, Saratoga, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Stephanie Murata, Lansing, Mich. (Sunkist Kids)  59 kg/130 lbs. - Tonya Evinger, Bates City, Mo. (Unattached)  63 kg/138.5 lbs. - Grace Magnussen, Marshall, Mo. (Dave Schultz WC)  67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)  72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  Coaches - Rusty Davidson, Afsoon Johnston