Bill Zadick is the lone U.S. freestyle wrestler to win a World title since the 2004 Olympics. The U.S. Freestyle Team had a very disappointing performance at last year's World Championships Baku, Azerbaijan. The team had extremely high expectations entering the 2007 World Championships, but picked up only two medals, both bronze. Like the U.S. Greco-Roman Team, the U.S. Freestyle Team has not qualified the 60-kg weight class for the Olympics, which is surprising considering that Mike Zadick won a World silver medal at that weight class less than two years ago.
The U.S. Freestyle Team is hoping to rebound from a disappointing 2007 World Championships at the 2008 Olympics. But who will represent that team in Beijing? The field at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials will include several past World and Olympic medalists, and many young, rising stars, so expect it be very tightly contested. Below is a weight-by-weight breakdown with predictions of this weekend's U.S. Olympic Team Trials in freestyle.
Matt Azevedo was one of the surprises of the 2008 U.S. Nationals (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)The big news in this weight class, though, is the return of 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas. Abas has battled knee injuries and has not competed much since the 2004 Olympics. He did not compete at the 2008 U.S Nationals, but did place third at the 2008 Dave Schultz Memorial International. Danny Felix, a freestyle veteran, wrestled well at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, placing third. Felix also won the Sunkist Kids International Open. Nick Simmons, who is just over a year removed from his collegiate wrestling career, was a 2007 U.S. Nationals runner-up and placed fourth at the same event this year. Vic Moreno is another wrestler who could contend in this weight class. Moreno, who placed third in the Ivan Yarygin Memorial Golden Grand Prix, lost a close match to Azevedo in the semifinals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Collegiate standout Angel Escobedo, who won the NCAA title this season at Indiana, has the potential to make some noise in this weight class.
RevWrestling.com Prediction: Stephen Abas over Henry Cejudo
60 kg: Since the U.S. has not qualified this weight class for the 2008 Olympics, there is a chance some of the wrestlers in this weight class will move up to 66 kg. However, at this point, there haven't been any wrestlers in this weight class who have stated publicly that they will be moving up. The top-three placewinners become members of the U.S. National Freestyle Team, so there is still some incentive to compete at this weight class. Mike Zadick was a World silver medalist in 2006 and a 2007 U.S. World Team member. Nate Gallick, a former World University Games champion, won the 2007 U.S. Nationals, but lost in a wrestle-off to Zadick to make the 2007 U.S. World Team. Neither Zadick nor Gallick competed at the 2008 U.S. Nationals as the two were preparing to qualify the weight class for the Olympics. The young and talented Shawn Bunch, a former NCAA runner-up for Edinboro, had a breakthrough performance at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, winning the title in impressive fashion. Coleman Scott also turned in a very impressive performance at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, reaching the finals just over a month removed from winning the 133-pound NCAA title at Oklahoma State. Former Oklahoma Sooner Teyon Ware placed third at the U.S. Nationals with his only loss coming to Scott. Another former Sooner, Michael Lightner, who is also a former U.S. World Team member, lost to Bunch in the semifinals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Zach Roberson has proven over the past few years that he is one of the contenders in this weight class. Roberson, who was runner-up to Zadick at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials, lost to Scott in the semifinals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals before injury defaulting out of the event. Dylan Long, who is a volunteer assistant coach at Iowa State, wrestled well at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, placing fourth.
RevWrestling.com Prediction: Nate Gallick over Mike Zadick
Jared Frayer has been one of the top contenders at 66 kg for many years (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)Chris Bono, a former U.S. World Team member who placed fourth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, has been in the hunt for nearly a decade. Collegiate star Brent Metcalf placed fifth at the U.S. Nationals and could make some noise in this deep weight class. However, many believe Metcalf is still a few years away from making a World or Olympic team. Eric Larkin, who is a member of the U.S. National Freestyle Team, has been in the mix for many years. He has placed third at the last two U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Trent Paulson has been one of the biggest surprises in this weight class this season. He dropped down from 74 kg and won both the Dave Schultz Memorial International and the Kiev International. Cary Kolat, who many consider to be the best freestyle wrestler in U.S. history without a World or Olympic gold medal, is back competing. He won the Sunkist Kids International Open, but had a disappointing 2008 U.S. Nationals, where he failed to place. Kolat was a member of the U.S. National Freestyle Team seven times and placed ninth at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Zack Esposito, who placed sixth at the U.S. Nationals, is also a very talented wrestler in this weight class who should not be overlooked. Jesse Jantzen should be in the hunt as well.
RevWrestling.com Prediction: Jared Frayer over Doug Schwab
74 kg: Joe Heskett was a U.S. World Team member at this weight class in 2007, but was forced to retire from competition after a heart ailment shortly after the 2007 World Championships. With Heskett no longer competing, Ben Askren has quickly become the new man to beat in this weight class after winning his first U.S. Nationals title in April. Askren has steadily improved since finishing his collegiate wrestling career in 2007. He has won titles at three tournaments this season. Donny Pritzlaff won a bronze medal at the 2006 World Championships, but has not been able get back to the top of the U.S. ladder since. Pritzlaff had a disappointing 2008 U.S. Nationals, where he failed to place. Casey Cunningham is another wrestler who has been near the top of this weight class for several years. In 2007, he was runner-up at both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials. But Cunningham, like Pritzlaff, failed to place at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Former Oklahoma State star Tyrone Lewis was runner-up to Askren at the 2008 U.S. Nationals and will contend for the top spot. Ryan Churella had a breakthrough performance at the U.S. Nationals, placing third, which included a victory over Pritzlaff. Matt Lackey placed fourth at the U.S. Nationals. Veteran Ramico Blackmon is always a threat in this weight class. He placed third at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials and fifth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Travis Paulson could be the spoiler in this weight class. He defeated Askren at the Sunkist Kids International Open.
RevWrestling.com Prediction: Ben Askren over Tyrone Lewis
The flamboyant Mo Lawal is back at 84 kg and defeated Andy Hrovat to win the 2008 U.S. NationalsCollegiate standout Jake Herbert won the Dave Schultz Memorial International earlier this season, but had a disappointing 2008 U.S. Nationals, where he failed to place. He bounced back to win the University World Team Trials. Clint Wattenberg, who was runner-up at the 2006 U.S. World Team Trials and place third in 2007, is expected to challenge in this weight class. He lost to Lawal in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Nationals and then wrestled back to the third-place match, where he lost by injury default to Bryce Hasseman. Hasseman won the 2008 Guelph Open in Canada. Lee Fullhart is perhaps the most experienced wrestler in this weight class. The former Hawkeye has played the role of bridesmaid numerous times throughout his career. He is a two-time U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up, five-time U.S. Nationals runner-up, and four-time U.S. World Team Trials runner-up. Fullhart did not place at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, but won the Northern Plains Regional Olympic Trials to qualify for the event. This weight class also includes a number of young, rising stars such as Jake Varner, Chris Pendleton, B.J. Padden, Matt Pell, and Tyrel Todd.
RevWrestling.com Prediction: Mo Lawal over Joe Williams
96 kg: Daniel Cormier is the overwhelming favorite to win this weight class. Cormier is a returning World bronze medalist who placed fourth at the 2004 Olympics. He has dominated his competition in the U.S., winning both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World (or Olympic) Team Trials every year since 2003. He has earned an automatic berth into the best-of-three championship finals. It will by tightly-contested, wide-open battle to see who gets the opportunity to face Cormier for a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Team. Nik Fekete was runner-up at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, but did not score a single point against Cormier. Damion Hahn has the second best international wrestling resume behind Cormier. Hahn placed third at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials and has been a threat on the senior level ever since he burst onto the scene as a high school phenom. A decade ago, Hahn was beating NCAA champions at the U.S. Nationals before he graduated from high school. The rest of the contenders in this weight class are young stars who are looking to eventually take the torch from Cormier. Those wrestlers include Willie Parks, Kurt Backes, and Max Askren.
RevWrestling.com Prediction: Daniel Cormier over Damion Hahn
120 kg: Tommy Rowlands took control of this weight class in 2007, winning both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials. Rowlands, who placed fifth at the 2007 World Championships, won the 2008 U.S. Nationals, which gives him an automatic berth in the best-of-three championship finals. He has his sights set on an Olympic gold medal in Beijing. But there some very talented and experienced heavyweights looking to knock off Rowlands. Steve Mocco has been Rowlands' main rival for many years, dating all the way back to their collegiate careers. Mocco lost a close match to Rowlands in the finals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Mocco has had a great season, winning four tournaments, but the 26-year-old has yet to make a U.S. World or Olympic Team. Tolly Thompson is a two-time U.S. World Team member and earned a bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships. Thompson placed fourth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, losing to Tervel Dlagnev in the third-place match. Dlagnev recently finished up his collegiate wrestling career at Nebraska-Kearney after winning two NCAA Division II titles at heavyweight. He will likely face Thompson in the second round, who, ironically, has been his workout partner for more than a year. Les Sigman, who was four-time NCAA Division II champion for Nebraska-Omaha, placed fifth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals and will be in the mix. Pat Cummins placed sixth at the U.S. Nationals and is more than capable of knocking off any of the contenders.
RevWrestling.com Prediction: Tommy Rowlands over Steve Mocco
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