By Jason Bryant, MTC Storm
Minnesota Storm freestyle wrestlers will compete this weekend in Las Vegas at a U.S. Olympic Team Trials qualifying event. The top seven finishers in each weight class will punch their tickets to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City in April.
Heading into this Olympic season, Marty Morgan, whose name is synonymous with wrestling success in Minnesota, returned to senior-level coaching for the Storm. His presence is a big addition to the Storm’s growing freestyle team. Coach Jared Lawrence and Morgan have collaborated this season to prepare Storm athletes for the road ahead.
On Monday, Morgan discussed his return to senior-level coaching and previewed this week’s competition in Las Vegas for Storm freestyle athletes.
Freestyle wrestlers will weigh-in Friday, December 18 and compete Saturday, December 19. The competition will be streamed live at Flowrestling.org.
U.S. Senior Nationals and Olympic Team Trials Qualifier
Storm Freestyle Entrants:
57 kg – Zach Sanders
65 kg – Chris Dardanes, Nick Dardanes, Jayson Ness
74 kg – Dustin Schlatter
97 kg – Scott Schiller
125 kg – Tony Nelson
Storm Greco entrants:
59 kg – Justin LaValle
66 kg – Brian Graham, Julian Gunnels, Dylan Ness, Devin Scott, Pat Smith
75 kg – Jake Fisher, Alec Ortiz, Dylan Reel
85 kg – Joel Bauman, Jake Clark, Jordan Holm
98 kg – Pat Carey, Josef Rau, John Wechter
130 kg – Parker Betts
Event Schedule:
Friday, December 18
Greco-Roman weight classes (59 kg, 66 kg, 74 kg, 85 kg, 98 kg, 130 kg)
Women’s freestyle weight classes (53 kg, 58 kg and 75 kg)
10:00 a.m. - Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolation rounds as time permits
5:00 p.m. - Completion of Consolation round and 3rd, 5th, 7th place matches
7:00 p.m. - Championship Finals
Saturday, December 19
Men’s freestyle weight classes (57 kg, 65 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg)
Women’s freestyle weight classes (48 kg, 63 kg and 69 kg)
10:00 a.m. - Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolation rounds as time permits
5:00 p.m. - Completion of Consolation round and 3rd, 5th, 7th place matches
7:00 p.m. - Championship Finals
Storm wrestlers already qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials
Athlete and Qualifying Event
Andy Bisek, 2015 Greco World Team Member
Brian Graham, Vantaa Cup bronze medalist
Jordan Holm, 2015 Greco World Team Member
Josef Rau, NYAC Bill Farrell Int'l Champion
Greco-Roman preview for Olympic Team Trials Qualifier/US Nationals
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