2002 World Team Trials preview for 84 kg in men's freestyle wrestling

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
06/12/2002


The most well-known name in wrestling at this time is Cael Sanderson of the Sunkist Kids, who is hot off making history on the college level as the first four-time undefeated NCAA Div. I wrestling champion ever. Sanderson has captured the imagination of the sports community, and is taking that momentum into his international career.    For the second straight year, Sanderson has won the U.S. Nationals title in freestyle. Last June, he claimed the spot on the U.S. World Team with a victory at the World Team Trials. However, after the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, the Worlds were moved out of New York City to Bulgaria, and rescheduled for November. Sanderson gave up his spot on the team to concentrate on his college season. By winning the World Team Trials in Saint Paul this year, he will be seeking his first opportunity to compete at a Senior World Championships this year.    Sanderson is a past University World champion in freestyle, and has shown tremendous takedown skills during his international career. In the U.S. Nationals finals, he defeated an improving Lee Fullhart of the Hawkeye WC, 4-0, all four points on one-point takedowns. Fullhart is coming off a strong winter tour season, and proved to many that Sanderson will be challenged in his quest for Olympic glory.    Brandon Eggum of the Minnesota Storm was No. 2 on Team USA and took Sanderson's place at the World meet. He had the best performance of all U.S. wrestlers, winning a silver medal, and was very close to winning it all. Eggum was injured this year and did not compete at the U.S. Nationals, but is expected to be in the field in Saint Paul and looking for another shot at Sanderson.    Randy Pugh of the Cat WC, a former UNI All-American, placed third at the U.S. Nationals, and had a victory at the Sunkist Kids International, including a defeat of Eggum. Placing fourth at the U.S. Nationals was 2000 Olympian Charles Burton, who remains a serious threat in any tournament. Burton was fifth in the Sydney Olympics, but has not been able to beat Sanderson in the last two years.    Markus Mollica of the Dave Schultz WC was fifth in Las Vegas. A former two-time NCAA champion, Mollica has been competitive in recent seasons on the freestyle circuit. Aaron Simpson, who was ranked No. 3 on last year's Team USA, has proven to be a talented freestyler, and has the ability and experience to perform well in this year's Challenge Tournament.    Other qualifiers from the U.S. Nationals were Clint Wattenburg, who wrestled for Cornell, and Eddie Gifford, a Fresno State athlete. Qualifying through the Regionals was veteran Sean Harrington of the New York AC, who might drop back down to 163 pounds for the Trials. Alan Charity of the U.S. Army also gets into the Challenge Tournament by winning a Regional.    The NCAA finalists from this year are eligible to compete, and this division could draw from two college weight classes. NCAA champions Greg Jones of West Virginia and Rob Rohn of Lehigh have not been active in freestyle, but may choose to test the waters. NCAA runner-up Greg Parker of Princeton competed in Greco-Roman at the U.S. Nationals, but may choose to go both styles in Saint Paul. Josh Lambrecht of Oklahoma is also eligible to enter. This will be a very tough weight for a college athlete (except Sanderson) to do much damage, but the experience could be valuable.    The eyes of the wrestling world will be on Sanderson, fresh off his appearance on a Wheaties box and in many media reports. His future is now completely committed to freestyle wrestling, and many expect that he will only get better as he goes along. Eggum's World silver medal shows that he is already an international talent, but beating Sanderson will be the next big challenge in his career. Fullhart has also shown that he has the ability and mindset to give Sanderson a handful each time. Burton, at his best, is also a proven international talent, but has not yet solved the Sanderson puzzle. If anybody besides Eggum, Fullhart or Burton wins the Challenge Tournament, they will have taken a large step forward in their careers. The odds are always in favor of the national champion at the World Team Trials, and it will take a tremendous effort to derail the Sanderson train this year.    84 kg/185 lbs.  National champion - Cael Sanderson, Heber City, Utah (Sunkist Kids)  U.S. Nationals #2 - Lee Fullhart, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)  U.S. Nationals #3 - Randy Pugh, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Cat WC)  U.S. Nationals #4 - Charles Burton, Bloomington, Ind. (New York AC)  U.S. Nationals #5 - Markus Mollica, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC)  U.S. Nationals #6 - Clint Wattenburg, Ithaca, N.Y. (Cornell)  U.S. Nationals #7 - Eddie Gifford, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)  Team USA member - Brandon Eggum, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)  Team USA member -Aaron Simpson, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)  NCAA Div. I finalist - Greg Jones, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids)  NCAA Div. I finalist - Greg Parker, Princeton, N.J. (ATWA)  NCAA Div. I finalist - Rob Rohn, Bethlehem, Pa. (New York AC)  NCAA Div. I finalist - Josh Lambrecht, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids)  Regional champion  - Sean Harrington, Pelham, N.H. (New York AC)  Regional champion  - Alan Charity, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)    Men's Freestyle criteria: 1. Top seven at 2002 Senior National Championships; 2. Current National Team Member - Top three; 3. Top three Finisher in a FILA A Championships in the past two years including Pan Ams, but not Sunkist; 4. Past World or Olympic Team Member; 5. Medalist at Junior World Championships in the past two years; 6. 2002 NCAA Div. I Finalist; 7. 2002 Regional Tournament Champion from the Northeast, Northern Plains and Rocky Mountain Regionals    Note 1: Some athletes qualified in more than one way, although just one is noted in this list.  Note 2: Other wrestlers who meet qualifying criterion may identify themselves, and will be added to this list leading up to the event. Some of the anticipated qualifiers may choose not to attend.    Starting on May 30, TheMat.com will feature a daily interview with one of the 2002 U.S. Nationals champions, as well as a preview of that weight class for the upcoming World Team Trials, set for Saint Paul, Minn., June 21-23. Visit TheMat.com daily to read about America's best international athletes and learn about the exciting action expected at this year's World Team Trials.