U.S. to bring its top athletes to 2015 Freestyle World Cup in Los Angeles, April 11-12
Seven of the eight members of the 2014 U.S. Freestyle World Team have confirmed their participation in the 2015 Freestyle Wrestling World Cup, set for the Forum, presented by Chase, in Inglewood, Calif., April 11-12.
USA Wrestling has named one athlete in each weight class for its team, and will add another athlete in each weight class to the roster in the upcoming days.
This initial group of eight athletes has won a combined three Olympic medals, six World medals and 13 NCAA titles during their career. All are currently top-ranked in their weight class in the USA.
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“It is an important event for us. We have to get back into the top echelon of world wrestling. We have the top teams in the world here on our soil. This is an opportunity for us to perform better than we did at the World Championships. We have the best guys in our country from last year’s World Team Trials on this team, and we will see how much we have improved since September 2014,” said National Freestyle Coach Bruce Burnett.
The U.S. team will feature 2012 Olympic champions Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Jake Varner (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) at 97 kg/213 lbs. Also on the team is 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott (Chapel Hill, N.C./Titan Mercury WC) at 61 kg/134 lbs.
Burroughs also boasts three World medals, including gold medals in 2011 and 2013, and a World bronze medal in 2014. Varner was a 2011 World bronze medalist. Tervel Dlagnev (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC), who competes at 125 kg/275 lbs. is a two-time World bronze medalist, reaching the podium in 2009 and 2015.
Burroughs, Varner, Scott and Dlagnev were all members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team in London, England.
Three-time World Team member Brent Metcalf (Iowa City, Iowa/New York AC/Hawkeye WC), who competed at the 2010, 2013 and 2014 Worlds, will wrestle at 65 kg/143 lbs. Metcalf and Burroughs were unbeaten in their matches at the 2014 Freestyle World Cup.
Other members of the 2014 U.S. World Team on the roster include Tony Ramos (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC) at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., Nick Marable (Morgantown, W.Va./Sunkist Kids/Mountaineer RTC) at 70 kg/154 lbs. and Ed Ruth (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 86 kg/189 lbs.
The NCAA titles from this group include three from Ruth at Penn State, two from Metcalf at Iowa, two from Burroughs at Nebraska, two from Varner at Iowa State, two from Dlagnev at Nebraska-Kearney, and one each from Ramos at Iowa and Scott at Oklahoma State.
Scott was second at the 2014 Phase II World Team Trials at 61 kg/134 lbs. behind World Team member Jimmy Kennedy, who has moved up to 65 kg/143 lbs. this year. Scott is the highest ranked wrestler in the nation who is competing at this weight class this season. The other seven U.S. athletes were No. 1 in their weight classes in the USA last season.
The World Cup is the international dual meet championships, one of the most important events of the year. The top eight teams in the world will compete in dual meets. This year’s field includes Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cuba, Iran, Mongolia, Russia, Turkey and the United States.
The U.S. placed third at the 2014 Freestyle World Cup, also held in Los Angeles, with Iran winning the team title and Russia placing second.
All-Session tickets are available, as well as Single-Day tickets. Fans can purchase All-Session tickets for $60 for General Admission and $85 for Preferred Seating. Single-Day tickets, on either Saturday or Sunday, are $35 for General Admission and $55 for Preferred Seating. Fees apply for tickets purchased through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com
A group discount offer for clubs is also available. There is a 20% discount for all USA Wrestling members. Both offers can also be found at www.wrestlingworldcup.com
The final U.S. World Cup lineup, which will feature two athletes in each weight class, plus additional coaches and staff, will be announced in the upcoming weeks.
FREESTYLE WRESTLING WORLD CUP
At Los Angeles, Calif., April 11-12
Tentative U.S. men’s freestyle team
57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Tony Ramos, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
61 kg/134 lbs. – Coleman Scott, Chapel Hill, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC)
65 kg/143 lbs. – Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC/Hawkeye WC)
70 kg/154 lbs. – Nick Marable, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids/Mountaineer RTC)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska WTC)
86 kg/189 lbs. – Ed Ruth, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
97 kg/213 lbs. – Jake Varner, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
125 kg/275 lbs. – Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC)
Freestyle Team Leader – Andy Barth, San Marino, Calif.
National Freestyle Coach Bruce Burnett, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Assistant National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Assistant National Freestyle Coach Brandon Slay, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Note: USA Wrestling will add one additional athlete to each weight class for the Freestyle World Cup, which will be announced shortly.
Colleges represented: Iowa (Ramos, Metcalf), Oklahoma State (Scott), Missouri (Marable), Nebraska (Burroughs), Penn State (Ruth), Iowa State (Varner), Nebraska-Kearney (Dlagnev)
High School states represented: Pennsylvania (Scott, Ruth), Illinois (Ramos), Michigan (Metcalf), Tennessee (Marable), New Jersey (Burroughs), California (Varner), Texas (Dlagnev)
FREESTYLE WRESTLING WORLD CUP SCHEDULE
(all times Pacific Time)
Saturday, April 11
3:00 p.m. – Session I – Pool Competition
6:15 p.m. – Session II – Opening Ceremonies and Pool Competition
Sunday, April 12
11:00 a.m. – Session III – Pool Competition, Fifth and Seventh Place Dual Meets
4:15 p.m. – Session IV – First and Third Place Dual Meets
