Top young prospect Spenser Mango expected to contend for spot on U.S. Olympic Team

Spenser Mango played baseball, basketball and football while growing up in St. Louis.

"I never even thought about wrestling," he said.

That is until he was walking down the hallway as a high school freshman. The wrestling team was having a meeting and Mango caught the eye of freshman coach Chris Scott.

"The coach comes over and picks me up and asks me if I want to wrestle at 90 pounds for them," Mango said with a laugh. "I went to the meeting and got the little handout and I decided to give it a shot. At the very first practice, I fell in love with it."

Mango's passion for the sport of wrestling is evident when you track his rapid ascent up the sport's ladder. The 21-year-old became a World University Greco-Roman champion in 2006 and now sits at No. 2 in the U.S. Senior rankings at 55 kg/121 lbs.

Mango has stamped himself as a legitimate contender to make the U.S. Olympic Team in Greco-Roman wrestling at 55 kg/121 lbs. The 2008 Olympic Games will be held next August in Beijing, China.

"Spenser has a real good chance to make the Olympic Team, no doubt about it," said Ivan Ivanov, head coach for the U.S. Olympic Education Center program. "Spenser is so young, but every month he is gaining strength, knowledge, experience and confidence. You can just see him continue to grow and develop. He has a great attitude and he is very dedicated. He just keeps getting better. What I love about him is he gives everything he has to every workout."

Even though he never wrestled before he entered high school, Mango already had qualified for the Missouri state tournament by his sophomore season. He followed by winning back-to-back state titles for Christian Brothers College High School.

After placing second in the 2004 Junior Nationals, Mango joined Ivanov and the USOEC Greco-Roman program at Northern Michigan University.

The 5-foot-2 Mango quickly established himself at the Senior level, placing second to Lindsey Durlacher at the 2006 U.S. Nationals. He followed by winning the World University title and earning a bronze medal at the 2006 Junior World Championships.

Mango placed second to Durlacher at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials in Las Vegas. Durlacher has made the last three U.S. World Teams, placing third in the World in 2006 and fifth in 2007.

"Spenser always has close matches with Lindsey," Ivanov said, "but he has never beaten him."

Also in the mix at 55 kilos is 2007 U.S. Nationals champion Sam Hazewinkel, who beat Mango in the finals of October's Sunkist Kids International Open.

"I think we're all pretty evenly matched," Mango said. "It's going to be a really good battle."

Mango served as a training partner for the U.S. team during the historic 2007 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. The U.S. won its first World team title in Greco-Roman wrestling on a dramatic final day.

"I wanted to be out there wrestling of course, but it was great to be a part of that experience at the Worlds," Mango said. "It's definitely motivation for me wanting to be on the team this year. Seeing Dremiel (Byers) win and then seeing (Mijial) Lopez from Cuba beat the Russian to give us the title - we were all going crazy when the team won it."

Ivanov, who was in Baku serving on the U.S. coaching staff, said Mango gained plenty from the trip to the 2007 Worlds. It was the first time Mango has witnessed the World Championships on the Senior level.

"It was a huge benefit for Spenser to see that event and experience being a part of it," Ivanov said. "He gained a lot of confidence from working out with the World Team and seeing how they prepared for a big event like that. And seeing the team win it, you can't help but be excited and want to be a part of something like that."

Mango is close friends with USOEC standout Harry Lester, who has won a bronze medal at the last two World Championships. Lester competes at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

"Harry's had a huge impact on me," Mango said. "Harry and (U.S. National Team member) Willie Madison both took me under their wing when I got up here. They've taught me a lot and helped correct what I was doing wrong. They're great guys and we hang out together outside of wrestling."

Like Lester, Mango is a dangerous wrestler who features an assortment of throws and lifts in his vast arsenal.

"Spenser is really explosive and athletic," Ivanov said. "And he's a fighter. When he's behind, he never gives up. He can come back in the last few seconds and turn a match around. He can score a lot of points in a short amount of time. He has a bunch of really good techniques he can use."

Mango does not have to look far to find quality practice opponents. Among the wrestlers he trains with at the USOEC is Joe Betterman, who wrestled in the 2007 Worlds at 60 kg/132 lbs.

He also trains with USOEC assistant coach Jim Gruenwald, a two-time Olympian who recently returned to competition to try and make his third Olympic Team. Gruenwald competes at 60 kilos.

"Jim Gruenwald is a great guy," Mango said. "He works out with us, he beats us up and he shows us all the things that worked for him. But he doesn't make you do it his way. He lets us wrestle our own style and doesn't force his style on us. I really like that."

Mango has flourished under the guidance of Ivanov, whose program is thriving with a number of his wrestlers excelling internationally now.

"We have a great coaching staff," Mango said. "Ivan is a great technician. He's taught me a lot."

Mango's brother, Ryan, a high school junior, is one of the nation's best young wrestlers. Ryan already owns a state high school title and was a double Cadet Nationals champion in 2006.

"I love seeing Ryan out there doing well," Spenser said. "We are definitely very close. I get way more nervous for him when he's wrestling than I do for myself when I wrestle. He really likes Greco, but he also likes freestyle and folkstyle. He's really good at all three styles. I try and show him all the little tricks I learn and he doesn't hesitate to ask me for advice. Whenever he gets a decent break, he will come up to Northern Michigan and work out with us."

Spenser Mango, who competes for the Gator Wrestling Club, continues to stockpile momentum for 2008. He won the New York AC Holiday International last month. He beat talented Virgil Munteanu of Romania in an exciting finals bout.

Mango envisions a big year for him and his USOEC teammates in 2008.

"All of us are really excited about what we've done at the USOEC," he said. "We feel we are right there with the guys in Colorado now. Why not us this year?"

So what will be the key for Mango when he competes at the 2008 Olympic Trials next June in Las Vegas?

"I need to keep my weight under control, make sure I'm prepared and execute my game plan," Mango said. "I need to leave it all out on the mat. I've been training the last four years for this opportunity and I want to take advantage of it.