Bios of 2003 U.S. Men's Freestyle World Team
<< Back to Articles
John Fuller (TheMat.com)
08/20/2003
STEPHEN ABAS 2003-04 Team USA Ranking: No. 1 at 55 kg/121 lbs. Years on Team USA: 3 (2001-04) Residence: Fresno, Calif. Club: Sunkist Kids Club Coach: Dennis DeLiddo College: Fresno State Univ. High School: Union City, Calif. (James Logan) & Moreno Valley, Calif. (Canyon Springs) Born: January 12, 1978 in Santa Ana, Calif. Height: 5-5 International Competition: 2003 Pan American Games champion... 2002-03 World Cup champion... Second in 2003 Cup of Independence (Uzbekistan)... Competed in 2003 Titan Games... Competed in 2002 Kurt Angle Classic... 1999, 2001 and 2002 Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open champion... Participated in 2001 World Championships... Fourth in 2001 World Cup... Fourth in the 2000 World University Championships... 2000 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion... 1999 Clansman International champion (Canada)... 1999 Winter Classic champion... Second in 1997-98 Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open... 1998 Junior World Champion... Fifth in 1997 FILA Junior World Championships... Fourth in 1996 Junior World Championships.... Third in 1994 Cadet World Championships... U.S. Competition: 2001-03 World Team Trials champion... 2003 U.S. Nationals champion... Fourth in 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials... Third in 2000 U.S. Nationals... 2000 NYAC Christmas Open champion... Second in 2000 University Nationals... Fifth in 1998 World Team Trials... Fourth in 1998 U.S. Nationals... 1998 University Nationals champion... 1997 Espoir Nationals champion... Fifth in 1997 U.S. Nationals... Second in 1997 University Nationals... 1996 Junior Nationals champion... Fourth in 1995 Junior Nationals... 1994 Cadet Nationals champion... Third in 1993 Cadet Nationals... College: Attended Fresno State Univ., where he was coached by Dennis Deliddo... Three-time NCAA Champion (1999, 2001-02) ... Fourth in 1998 NCAA Championships... Only second four-time All-American in school history, joining his brother Gerry, who is also an assistant coach at Fresno State... majoring in Liberal Studies... High School: Three-time California state champion (1994-96), competing for Tom Rosenthal at James Logan High School as a junior and senior and Canyon Springs High School where he was coached by Ray Rodi prior to that... Also placed fourth in the state tournament as a freshman... Personal: Currently works as an assistant coach at Fresno State Univ... The son of Mary Alice Bennet...Brother of Van, Monica, Erica, Greg, Gerry and Norman... His brother Gerry was a three-time NCAA runner-up for Fresno State... Brothers Greg Gascon and Norman also wrestled... Trains in Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art which combines dance and fighting tactics... Notes: The U.S. did not participate in the 2002 World Championships in Iran due to a threat of violence towards the team... ERIC GUERRERO 2003-04 Team USA Ranking: No. 1 at 60 kg/132 lbs. Years on Team USA: 6 (1998-04) Residence: Stillwater, Okla. Club: Gator WC Club Coach: John Smith College: Oklahoma State Univ. High School: San Jose, Calif. (Independence) Born: May 15, 1977 in Santa Clara, Calif. Height: 5-7 International Competition: Third in 2003 Pan American Games... 2003 World Cup champion... Eighth in 2003 Cup of Independence (Uzbekistan)... Participated in 2003 Titan Games... Competed in 2002 Kurt Angle Classic... Seventh in 2002 Kiev Grand Prix (Ukraine)... DNP in 2001 World Championships... Second in 2001 Poland Open... Sixth in 2000 Kiev Grand Prix (Ukraine)... Second in 2000 and 2002 Freestyle World Cup... Fifth at 2000 Takhti Cup (Iran)... Seventh in 1999 World Championships... Second in 1999 Pan American Games... Sixth in 1997 FILA Junior World Championships... 1993 Cadet World Champion... U.S. Competition: 2001-03 World Team Trials champion... 2001-03 U.S. Nationals champion... Third in 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials... 2000 Central Olympic Regional Trials Champion... Fifth in 2000 U.S. Nationals... Second in 1999 World Team Trials... Third in 1998-99 U.S. Nationals... Third in 1998 World Team Trials... 1996-97 Espoir Nationals champion... 1995 Junior Nationals champion... Third in 1993-94 Junior Nationals... Second in 1993 Espoir Nationals... Second in 1992 Cadet Nationals... College: Attended Oklahoma State Univ., where he was coached by John Smith... 1997-99 NCAA champion... Fifth in 1996 NCAA Championships... Received a degree in Secondary Education... High School: Attended Independence HS in Calif., where he was a three-time state champion (1993-95)... Competed for coach Anthony Palomino... Second in the state tournament as a freshman... Personal: Son of Sebastian and Virginia Guerrero... He and his wife Milia, have one daughter, Kaitlyn... His hobbies include fishing, hunting, reading, spending time with his family and water sports... Notes: Competed in both the 1999 World Championships and 1999 Pan American Games when No. 1 Terry Brands was injured and did not enter... The U.S. did not participate in the 2002 World Championships in Iran due to a threat of violence towards the team... JAMILL KELLY 2003-04 Team USA Ranking: No. 1 at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Years on Team USA: 3 (2001-04) Residence: Stillwater, Okla. Club: Gator WC Club Coach: John Smith College: Oklahoma State Univ., Lassen College High School: Atwater, Calif. (Atwater) Born: October 25, 1977 in Atwater, Calif. Height: 5-7 International Competition: Second in 2003 Pan American Games... Second in 2002 Medved International Championships (Belarus)... Tenth in 2002 Dave Schultz Memorial International... Second in 2001 Sunkist Kids International Open... Second in 2001 Pan American Championships... U.S. Competition: 2003 World Team Trials champion... Fifth in 2003 U.S. Nationals... Third in 2002 World Team Trials... Second in 2002 U.S. Nationals... Third in 2001 World Team Trials... Third in 2001 U.S. National Championships... 2001 University Nationals champion... College: Attended Oklahoma State Univ. where he was coached by John Smith... Attended Lassen College where he was coached by Rex Branum, where he was second in 1996 NJCAA Junior College Nationals... Majored in History... High School: Competed for Paul Bristow at Atwater High School...fourth in the state in 1995...also played football for one year... Personal: Son of Ruby and Robert Fagan... Has one brother, Cory Fagan... Hobbies include playing video games and reading... JOE WILLIAMS 2003-04 Team USA Ranking: No. 1 at 74 kg/163 lbs. Years on Team USA: 5 (1999-04) Residence: Coralville, Iowa Club: Sunkist Kids Club Coach: Dan Gable, Tom Brands College: Univ. of Iowa High School: Chicago, Ill. (Mt. Carmel) Born: November 26, 1974 in Bue Island, Ill. Height: 5-8 International Competition: 2003 Pan American Games champion... 2000-03 World Cup champion... Third in 2003 Cup of Independence (Uzbekistan)... Participated in 2002 Kurt Angle Classic... 2002 Kiev Grand Prix champion (Ukraine)... Third in 2002 Yasar Dogu (Turkey)... Third in 2001 World Championships.... 2001 Takhti Cup champion (Iran)... 2001 Manitoba Open champion (Canada)... Second in 1999 and 2000 Kiev Grand Prix (Ukraine)... Fourth in 1999 World Championships... 1999 Pan American Games champion... 1999 Manitoba Open champion (Canada)... 1998 Sunkist Kids International Open champion... U.S. Competition: 1999 and 2001-03 World Team Trials champion... 1999, 2001-03 U.S. Nationals champion... Third in 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials... Second in 2000 U.S. Nationals... 1995 University Nationals champion... 1993 Junior Nationals champion in both styles... Third in 1991 Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman... College: Competed for Dan Gable and Jim Zalesky at the Univ. of Iowa... Three-time NCAA Div. I champion (1996-98)..