Several Hawkeyes To Compete At World Team Trials

May 27, 2009

IOWA CITY, IA — Several current or former University of Iowa wrestlers are set to compete at the 2009 U.S. Men’s Freestyle World Team Trials, which are set for Saturday and Sunday at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, IA. Winners of this tournament will represent the United States at the 2009 World Wrestling Championships in Herning, Denmark, Sept. 21-27.

Iowa’s volunteer assistant coach Mike Zadick (60 kilograms/132 pounds) and former Hawkeye Steve Mocco (120 kilograms/264.5 pounds) clinched berths in their respective finals by winning titles at the 2009 U.S. National Freestyle Championships in Las Vegas in April. They will meet the winner of the challenge tournament from their respective weight classes in a best-of-three final round series.

Three Hawkeyes will face off in the 66 kilogram/145.5 pound challenge tournament. Hawkeye senior-to-be Brent Metcalf placed second at the U.S. Nationals, while assistant coach Doug Schwab placed fourth and strength and conditioning coach Jared Frayer placed fifth. The Hawkeye trio will battle for the chance to face U.S. National Champion Trent Paulson in the final.

Former Hawkeye Eric Luedke (84 kilograms/185 pounds) placed second at the U.S. Nationals, but will have to make it out of the challenge tournament for a rematch with U.S. National champion Jake Herbert.

Hawkeye all-Americans Daniel Dennis (60 kilograms /132 pounds) and Ryan Morningstar (74 kilograms/163 pounds) earned bids to the World Team Trials with recent wins at qualifying tournaments. Dennis won a title at the Northern Plains Regional earlier this month, while Morningstar placed second at the University Nationals.

World Team Trials competition is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. each day. Reserved seat and general admission tickets to the event are available at the Mid-America Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com or midamericacenter.com, or charge by phone at 800.745.3000. LiveSportsVideo is scheduled to provide live internet coverage from the tournament via their web site, www.livesportsvideo.com.

MEN’S FREESTYLE 2009 WORLD TEAM TRIALS QUALIFIERS
(Bolded Names Are Current or Former Iowa Wrestlers or Staff)

60 kg/132 pounds
1. Mike Zadick, Solon, Iowa (Gator WC)
2. Shawn Bunch, Columbus, Ohio (Gator WC)
3. Matt Valenti, New York, N.Y. (Lehigh Valley AC)
4. Andy Simmons, Lansing, Mich. (Sunkist Kids)
5. Nick Gallick, Tucson, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
6. Drew Headlee, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids)
7. Kyle Jahn, Bolingbrook, Ill. (unattached)
Daniel Dennis, Ingleside, Ill. (Hawkeye WC)
Reece Humphrey, Indianapolis, Ind. (Ohio State)
Jordan Oliver, Easton, Pa. (Gator WC)
Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
Yero Washington, Jersey City, N.J. (Sunkist Lions)

66 kg/145.5 pounds
1. Trent Paulson, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Brent Metcalf, Davison, Mich. (Gator WC)
3. Brian Stith, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
4. Doug Schwab, Iowa City, Iowa (Gator WC)
5. Jared Frayer, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Gator WC)
6. Josh Churella, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC)
7. Chris Bono, Ringgold, Ga. (Sunkist Kids)
Darrion Caldwell, Rahway, N.J. (unattached)
Kevin LeValley, Hugo, Colo. (Bison WC)
Mario Mason, Moorestown, N.J. (Minnesota Storm)
Don Ooton, Lewistown, Pa. (Bison WC)

74 kg/163 pounds
1. Travis Paulson, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Keith Gavin, Pittsburgh, Pa. (New York AC)
3. Dustin Schlatter, Massilon, Ohio (Minnesota Storm)
4. Ryan Churella, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC)
5. Jon Reader, Davison, Mich. (Cyclone WC)
6. Andrew Howe, Cedar Lake, Ind. (New York AC)
7. Matt Pell, Charlottesville, Va. (Cavalier WC)
Ben Askren, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids)
Eren Civan, Bethesda, Md. (Sunkist Lions)
Zack Esposito, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
Moza Fay, Anamosa, Iowa (Panther WC)
Ryan Morningstar, Lisbon, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
Mike Poeta, Highwood, Ill. (Illini WC)
Lloyd Rogers, Chattanooga, Tenn. (unattached)

84 kg/185 pounds
1. Jake Herbert, Wexford, Pa. (New York AC)
2. Eric Luedke, Iowa City, Iowa (Gator WC)
3. Bryce Hasseman, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC)
4. David Bertolino, Norman, Okla. (Underdog WC)
5. Tom Meester, Sioux Falls, S.D. (Sunkist Kids)
6. Brandon Sinnott, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Gator WC)
7. Travis Pascoe, Corvallis, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)
Alex Clemsen, Corvallis, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)
Carl Fronhofer, Hoboken, N.J. (Sunkist Lions)
Zack Giesen, Grants Pass, Ore. (DSWC-Stanford)
Mo Lawal, Temecula, Calif. (Gator WC)
Mack Lewnes, Annapolis, Md. (Cornell)
B.J. Padden, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
Chris Pendleton, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
James Yonushonis, College Park, Md. (New York AC)

120 kg/264.5 pounds
1. Steve Mocco, Coralville, Iowa (New York AC)
2. Tervel Dlagnev, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
3. Les Sigman, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
4. Dominique Bradley, Blue Springs, Mo. (Sunkist Kids)
5. Ryan Tomei, Irwin, Pa. (Pitt)
6. Ryan Gritter, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Gator WC)
7. Michael Irving, Durham, N.C. (Gator WC)
Zack Rey, Hopatcong, N.J. (Lehigh Valley AC)
Eric Thompson, Shell Rock, Iowa (Cyclone WC)
Jarod Trice, Highland Park, Mich. (C. Michigan RTC)