U.S. rosters set for the FILA Junior World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, Aug. 24-31

<< Back to Articles
John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
07/15/2003


The U.S. lineups for the FILA Junior World Championships have been set. The event will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, Aug. 24-31. Women's freestyle wrestlers will compete first, wrestling Aug. 24-25. Greco-Roman competition will follow Aug. 26-28 and men's freestyle action will take place Aug. 29-31.    Seven of the eight FILA Junior World Team Trials champions will compete for the men's freestyle team, led by 2002 Junior National champions Paul Donahoe (Davison, Mich.) at 50 kg/110 lbs., Nathan Moore (Indianapolis, Ind./Purdue) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Cole Konrad (New London, Wis./Minnesota Storm) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Moore placed third at the FILA Junior World Team Trials. He will replace Joe Forsman (Sandpoint, Idaho/U.S. Military Academy), who could not compete due to prior obligations with his education.    Donahoe and Konrad also won the Greco-Roman competition at the FILA Junior World Team Trials, but will only be allowed to compete in one style at the World Championships.    Iowa State Univ. teammates Nate Gallick (Tucson, Ariz./Cyclone WC) and Kurt Backes (Neshanic Station, N.J./Cyclone WC) will also compete. Gallick will wrestle at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Backes will wrestle at 84 kg/185 lbs.    Also wrestling for the U.S. will be Mike Silengo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Andy Simmons (Williamston, Mich./Michigan WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Don Reynolds (New Lenox, Ill./Overtime WC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. All three have been very successful in the U.S. at the Junior level.    Silengo currently competes at the Univ. of Pennsylvania and Simmons attends Michigan State Univ.    U.S. Naval Academy head coach Bruce Burnett of Annapolis, Md. and Troy Steiner of Madison, Wis. will coach the men's freestyle team.    Leading the way for the Greco-Roman team will be Ryan Halsey (Oceanside, Calif./Dave Schultz WC), a 2001 Junior National champion and current FILA Junior National champion, at 84 kg/185 lbs. Halsey, who attends Cal Poly, recently won a gold medal at the Grand Prix de France.    Joining Halsey are 2003 FILA Junior National champions Joe Betterman (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Casey Lawson (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Harry Lester (Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio/USOEC/Sunkist Kids) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Bobby Fisher (Platte County, Mo./USOEC) at 74 kg/163 lbs.    All four of those wrestlers attend Northern Michigan University and train in the U.S. Olympic Education Center program. Lester, a 2001 Junior National runner-up, placed seventh at the 2003 U.S. Senior World Team Trials.    Rounding out the Greco-Roman squad will be Jeff Courtney (Fairmont, W.V./Mountaineer WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Cody Parker (Roseburg, Ore.) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Parker placed second at the FILA Junior World Team Trials to Konrad.    Courtney is taking the place of Adam Haake (Marquette, Mich./USOEC), who injured his knee at the recent Grand Prix de France and will be unable to compete in this tournament.    The Greco-Roman team will be coached by U.S. Olympic Education Center Coach Ivan Ivanov of Marquette, Mich. and high school coach Isaac Ramaswamy of Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.    The women's team will be led by two-time U.S. National Team member Mary Kelly (Mahomet, Ill./Dave Schultz WC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. Kelly is a past Cadet World Champion and placed third at the 2002 and 2003 U.S. Senior World Team Trials. Kelly currently competes for Neosho County Community College in Kansas.    Also on the women's team will be the 2002 TheMat.com/ASICS Girls High School Wrestler of the Year Brandy Rosenbrock (St. Claire Shores, Mich./Michigan WC) at 59 kg/130 lbs. Rosenbrock placed fourth at the 2003 U.S. Senior World Team Trials and was a member of the U.S. National Team in 2002. She was also a Junior National champion at the inaugural Women's Junior National Championships in 2002.    Debbie Sakai (Miliani, Hawaii/Rainbow Wahine WC) and Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./Cumberland College) both placed sixth at the 2003 U.S. Senior World Team Trials. Sakai will compete at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. and Berube will compete at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.    Also on the women's team will be FILA Junior World Team Trials champions Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. and Juanita Russell (Galway, N.Y./TNT) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.    Completing the women's team are Liz Short (Lombard, Ill./UM-Morris) at 44 kg/97 lbs. and Cathy Migita (Honolulu, Hawaii/Rainbow Wahine WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Short placed eighth at the 2002 University World Championships. Migita replaces Jessie Shirley (Galion, Ohio/Cumberland College), who is injured and unable to compete.    The women's team will be coached by Rusty Davidson of Grants, N.M. and Cumberland College head women's coach Kip Flanik of Williamsburg, Ky.    The FILA Junior World Championships were not held in 2002. In 2001, the men's competition was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and the women's competition was held in Martigny, Switzerland.    In men's freestyle competition, Steven Mocco had the highest U.S. finish with a fourth-place showing. James Woodall placed fifth for the U.S. team as well. LeRoy Gardner was the highest Greco-Roman place winner with an eighth-place showing. In women's action, Toccara Montgomery won a silver medal and Tori Adams won a bronze medal. All eight women placed in the top 10 of their respective weight classes.    Only wrestlers born 1982-1984 are eligible to compete in the FILA Junior World Championships.    2003 FILA Junior World Championships  at Istanbul, Turkey  U.S. Rosters  MEN'S FREESTYLE - August 29-31  50 kg/110 lbs. - Paul Donahoe (Davison, Mich.)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Mike Silengo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Nate Gallick (Tucson, Ariz./Cyclone WC)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Andy Simmons (Williamston, Mich./Michigan WC)  74 kg/163 lbs. - Don Reynolds (New Lenox, Ill./Overtime WC)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Kurt Backes (Neshanic Station, N.J./Cyclone WC)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Nathan Moore (Indianapolis, Ind./Purdue)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Cole Konrad (New London, Wis./Minnesota Storm)  Coaches: Bruce Burnett (Annapolis, Md.), Troy Steiner (Madison, Wis.)    GRECO-ROMAN - August 26-28  55 kg/121 lbs. - Joe Betterman (Marquette, Mich./USOEC)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Casey Lawson (Marquette, Mich./USOEC)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Harry Lester (Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio/USOEC/Sunkist Kids)  74 kg/163 lbs. - Bobby Fisher (Platte County, Mo./USOEC)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Ryan Halsey (Oceanside, Calif./Dave Schultz WC)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Jeff Courtney (Fairmont, W.V./Mountaineer WC)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Cody Parker (Roseburg, Ore.)  Coaches: Ivan Ivanov (Marquette, Mich.), Isaac Ramaswamy (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.)    WOMEN - August 24-25  44 kg/97 lbs. - Liz Short (Lombard, Ill./UM-Morris)  48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Mary Kelly (Mahomet, Ill./Dave Schultz WC)  51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Debbie Sakai (Miliani, Hawaii/Rainbow Wahine WC)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Cathy Migita (Honolulu, Hawaii/Rainbow Wahine WC)  59 kg/130 lbs. - Brandy Rosenbrock (St. Claire Shores, Mich./Michigan WC)  63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./Cumberland College)  67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Minnesota Storm)  72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Juanita Russell (Galway, N.Y./TNT)  Coaches: Rusty Davidson (Grants, N.M.), Kip Flanik (Williamsburg, Ky.)