Reigning NCAA champion Jake Varner of Iowa State did not allow a point in rolling to the U.S. Nationals freestyle title at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Varner blanked Kyle Cerminara in the finals in Vegas.
Varner has been successful in moving up a weight class at both the college level and internationally. He placed second in the NCAA Championships as a freshman and sophomore at 184 pounds before bumping up to win the 197-pound title this past March as a junior.
Varner placed third at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at 84 kg/185 lbs. before moving up a class to 96 kilos this season. Varner still looks very strong and physical at his new weight class. He is difficult to score points against.
Former Central Michigan standout Wynn Michalak looked strong at the U.S. Nationals, beating Dallas Herbst in the third-place bout.
Brandon Halsey was fifth at the U.S. Nationals, followed by Sean Stender and Micah Burak. Stender is a past All-American for Northern Iowa.
Former Northwestern wrestler Mike Tamillow also has wrestled well this year. Tamillow won a bronze medal at the Takhti Cup in Iran. Past NCAA runner-up Kurt Backes won a bronze medal in the Cerro Pelado event in Cuba.
Oklahoma State's Clayton Foster and Virginia's Brent Jones also qualified for the Trials after placing 1-2 at University Nationals.
Daniel Cormier has been the No. 1 guy at this weight class since 2003, but has not competed since the 2008 Olympic Trials. If he does come back, he may bump up to 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Cormier was a 2007 World bronze medalist.
2009 U.S. NATIONALS RESULTS - 96 KG/211.5 LBS.
1st - Jake Varner, Bakersfield, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Kyle Cerminara, Lewiston, Pa. (New York AC), 2-0, 2-0
3rd - Wynn Michalak, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Gator WC) pinned Dallas Herbst, Winneconne, Wis. (Badger WC), 0:48
5th - Brandon Halsey, Vista, Calif. (No Mercy) inj. dft. Sean Stender, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids),
7th - Micah Burak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Athletes in Action) dec. Eddie Phillips, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen), 2-0, 1-0
2009 U.S. WORLD TEAM TRIALS QUALIFIERS - 96 KG/211.5 LBS.
U.S. Nationals Champion - Jake Varner, Bakersfield, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Nationals, second place - Kyle Cerminara, Lewiston, Pa. (New York AC)
U.S. Nationals, third place - Wynn Michalak, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Gator WC)
U.S. Nationals, fourth place - Dallas Herbst, Winneconne, Wis. (Badger WC)
U.S. Nationals, fifth place - Brandon Halsey, Vista, Calif. (No Mercy)
U.S. Nationals, sixth place - Sean Stender, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Nationals, seventh place - Micah Burak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Athletes in Action)
Northeast Regional Champion - Kyle Cerminara, Lewiston, Pa. (New York AC)
Northern Plains Regional Champion - To be determined
Past U.S. Olympic Team member - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
University Nationals Champion - Clayton Foster, Kamiah, Idaho (Gator WC)
University Nationals Runner-up - Brent Jones, Burke, Va. (Cavalier WC)
09 Takhti Cup (IRI) bronze medalist - Mike Tamillow, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
09 Cerro Pelado (CUB) bronze medalist - Kurt Backes, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids)
Varner blanked Kyle Cerminara in the finals in Vegas.
Varner has been successful in moving up a weight class at both the college level and internationally. He placed second in the NCAA Championships as a freshman and sophomore at 184 pounds before bumping up to win the 197-pound title this past March as a junior.
Varner placed third at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at 84 kg/185 lbs. before moving up a class to 96 kilos this season. Varner still looks very strong and physical at his new weight class. He is difficult to score points against.
Former Central Michigan standout Wynn Michalak looked strong at the U.S. Nationals, beating Dallas Herbst in the third-place bout.
Brandon Halsey was fifth at the U.S. Nationals, followed by Sean Stender and Micah Burak. Stender is a past All-American for Northern Iowa.
Former Northwestern wrestler Mike Tamillow also has wrestled well this year. Tamillow won a bronze medal at the Takhti Cup in Iran. Past NCAA runner-up Kurt Backes won a bronze medal in the Cerro Pelado event in Cuba.
Oklahoma State's Clayton Foster and Virginia's Brent Jones also qualified for the Trials after placing 1-2 at University Nationals.
Daniel Cormier has been the No. 1 guy at this weight class since 2003, but has not competed since the 2008 Olympic Trials. If he does come back, he may bump up to 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Cormier was a 2007 World bronze medalist.
2009 U.S. NATIONALS RESULTS - 96 KG/211.5 LBS.
1st - Jake Varner, Bakersfield, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Kyle Cerminara, Lewiston, Pa. (New York AC), 2-0, 2-0
3rd - Wynn Michalak, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Gator WC) pinned Dallas Herbst, Winneconne, Wis. (Badger WC), 0:48
5th - Brandon Halsey, Vista, Calif. (No Mercy) inj. dft. Sean Stender, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids),
7th - Micah Burak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Athletes in Action) dec. Eddie Phillips, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Cliff Keen), 2-0, 1-0
2009 U.S. WORLD TEAM TRIALS QUALIFIERS - 96 KG/211.5 LBS.
U.S. Nationals Champion - Jake Varner, Bakersfield, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Nationals, second place - Kyle Cerminara, Lewiston, Pa. (New York AC)
U.S. Nationals, third place - Wynn Michalak, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Gator WC)
U.S. Nationals, fourth place - Dallas Herbst, Winneconne, Wis. (Badger WC)
U.S. Nationals, fifth place - Brandon Halsey, Vista, Calif. (No Mercy)
U.S. Nationals, sixth place - Sean Stender, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Nationals, seventh place - Micah Burak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Athletes in Action)
Northeast Regional Champion - Kyle Cerminara, Lewiston, Pa. (New York AC)
Northern Plains Regional Champion - To be determined
Past U.S. Olympic Team member - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
University Nationals Champion - Clayton Foster, Kamiah, Idaho (Gator WC)
University Nationals Runner-up - Brent Jones, Burke, Va. (Cavalier WC)
09 Takhti Cup (IRI) bronze medalist - Mike Tamillow, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
09 Cerro Pelado (CUB) bronze medalist - Kurt Backes, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids)
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