America’s best wrestlers to compete at the 2003 World Cup in Boise, Idaho, April 4-6; Individual ses

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
02/24/2003


All seven members of the 2002 U.S. Freestyle World Team have committed to compete in the 2003 World Cup Wrestling Championship, which will be held at the Bank of America Centre in Boise, Idaho, April 4-6.    Fans can purchase Individual session tickets beginning at 10 am, Saturday, March 1st. Tickets can be purchased at all Select-A-Seat locations, by phone at 208-331-TIXS, or on the internet at www.idahotickets.com. For more information go to www.worldcupwrestling.com.    With each of the No. 1 ranked U.S. freestyle wrestlers on the squad, the United States is expected to be a strong favorite to win the team title at this annual international dual meet championships.    The U.S. squad will include the most popular names in freestyle wrestling.  Starting with Head Coach Dan Gable (Iowa City, Iowa).  Gable was a World and Olympic champion as an athlete, considered one of the greatest competitors in American history.  As a coach, Gable was a record-setting college coach, and has served as head coach of three U.S. Olympic teams.    The host United States has recently dominated the Freestyle World Cup, winning 10 of the last 13 team titles, including the most recent World Cup held in Spokane, Wash. in 2002. Russia won the 1992 and 1998 World Cups, and Iran was the champion of the 1996 World Cup.    The squad will be led by three-time World Cup champion Joe Williams (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and four-time World Cup champion Kerry McCoy (Bethlehem, Pa./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.     Williams has won three straight World Cup golds. He was a 2001 World bronze medalist and placed fourth at the 1999 World Championships. Williams was a 1999 Pan American Games champion. He was a three-time NCAA champion for the Univ. of Iowa.    McCoy placed fourth in the 1998 and 2001 World Championships and fifth in the 2002 Olympic Games. With four straight World Cup titles, McCoy has become one of the most successful U.S. athletes at this storied event. He was a two-time NCAA champion for Penn State Univ.    Also competing will be college wrestling star and two-time U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials champion Cael Sanderson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 84 kg/185 lbs. Sanderson will be competing in his first World Cup event. Sanderson was a 2000 World University champion. He made history by becoming the first undefeated four-time NCAA champion, going 159-0 for Iowa State.    Two-time U.S. Freestyle World Team member Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Abas won a World Cup gold medal last year competing in Spokane, Wash. Abas was a three-time NCAA champion for Fresno State.    Two-time World Cup silver medalist Eric Guerrero (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) will compete at 60 kg/132 lbs. Guerrero was second at the 2000 and 2002 World Cup events. Guerrero has been on three U.S. World Teams, and placed seventh at the 1999 World Championships. He was a three-time NCAA champion for Oklahoma State.    2001 World Cup silver medalist Chris Bono (Gilbert, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) will represent the USA at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Bono has qualified for the last two U.S. World Championship teams. He was a NCAA champion at Iowa State.    U.S. Nationals champion Tim Hartung (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Hartung comes off an impressive two-win performance at the Titan Games in San Jose, Calif. this month. He won two NCAA titles for the Univ. of Minnesota.    "We are very excited to have our nation's best competitors representing the United States at the World Cup," stated USA Wrestling National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson. "Due to a threat to our safety, we did not compete in the World Championships in Iran last year, so these guys are looking forward to the opportunity to get quality matches against the best in the world."    The U.S. team will be led by head coach Dan Gable of Iowa City, Iowa and assistant coaches Greg Randall of Boise, Idaho and Shawn Charles of Lincoln, Neb.    Cuba, Georgia, Germany, Russia and Ukraine have all accepted invitations to compete in the 2003 World Cup.  The host United States has recently dominated the Freestyle World Cup, winning 10 of the last 13 team titles, including the most recent World Cup held in Spokane, Wash. in 2002. Russia won the 1992 and 1998 World Cups, and Iran was the champion of the 1996 World Cup.    Individual session tickets go on sale at 10 am, Saturday,  March 1st for the 2003 World Cup Wrestling Championship. Tickets can be purchased at all Select-A-Seat locations, by phone at 208-331-TIXS, or on the internet www.idahotickets.com. For more information go to www.worldcupwrestling.com.    There will be four sessions of action, featuring the best international freestyle wrestling teams in the world. For Sessions I and III, the session prices are $16 for adults and $13 for youth (2-18 years). For Session II, which includes Opening Ceremonies, the session prices are $19 for adults and $16 for youth. For  Session IV, which includes the final bouts and the Closing Ceremonies, the session prices are $26 for adults and $24 for youth.    The weekend will begin with a major youth wrestling competition, the World Cup Kids Open, set for Friday, April 4. Young wrestlers will be able compete in the tournament, then watch the world's best athletes at the World Cup. Medals from the World Cup Kids Open will be presented during the World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling. Participants must be USA Wrestling members. For information on the youth tournament, contact R.J. Scott by phone at (208) 587-9720 or via e-mail at rjscott64@cs.com.    There will be four sessions of action, featuring the best international freestyle wrestling teams in the world. For Sessions I and III, the session prices are $16 for adults and $13 for youth (2-18 years). For Session II, which includes Opening Ceremonies, the session prices are $19 for adults and $16 for youth. For Session IV, which includes the final bouts and the Closing Ceremonies, the session prices are $26 for adults and $24 for youth.    Fans will find the best combined competition / hotel facility in the USA. The Luxurious Grove Hotel is attached to The Bank of America Centre. Stay at a Four Diamond hotel, take the elevator to the lobby, and walk into the Bank of America Centre without ever going outside. Stay where the teams stay, the Grove Hotel for only $95 per night double occupancy, or groups of 10 or more $84 per night quad occupancy. Call 208-333-8000 and ask reservations for the World Cup rate.    2003 World Cup Wrestling Championship U.S. Team  at Boise, Idaho, April 4-6, 2003  55 kg/121 lbs. - Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)  66 kg /145.5 lbs. - Chris Bono, Gilbert, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)  74 kg/163 lbs. - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Cael Sanderson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Tim Hartung, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Kerry McCoy, Bethlehem, Pa. (New York AC)  Head Coach - Dan Gable, Iowa City, Iowa  Assistant Coaches - Greg Randall, Boise, Idaho and Shawn Charles, Lincoln, Neb.  National Freestyle Coach - Kevin Jackson, Colorado Springs, Colo.