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McDonough, Oliver, Kilgore and Fortune to challenge for University World Team

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by Richard Immel USA Wrestling

 
 Nahshon Garrett battles Matt McDonough in the 

quarterfinals of the 2013 NCAA Championships.


Tony Rotundo Photo.

Spots on the University World Freestyle Team will be up for grabs June 22-23 on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz.
Four best of three challenge series matches have been set to determine the final University World Team roster that will compete at the University World Championships July 8-12 in Pecs, Hungary.
USA Wrestling established a new format for selecting the freestyle University World Team this year, allowing the highest eligible finisher that placed in the top six at the Senior World Team Trials in Madison, Wis. to challenge the winner of the 2014 University National Championships held in Akron, Ohio in May.
Only wrestlers competing in the six Olympic weight classes of 57 kg/125.5 lbs., 65 kg/143 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs., 86 kg/189 lbs., 97 kg/213 lbs. and 125 kg/275 lbs. were eligible to challenge for the University World Team roster spot.
Wrestlers who have elected to challenge for the University World Team are Matt McDonough (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC) at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., Jordan Oliver (Stillwater, Okla./Titan Mercury WC) at 65 kg/143 lbs., Dustin Kilgore (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids/OTC) at 97 kg/213 lbs. and Tyrell Fortune (Portland, Ore./Titan Mercury WC) at 125 kg/275 lbs.
The first best of three series will be held on June 22 at 11:00 a.m. PDT between Oliver and University National Champion Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J./Rutgers) to determine who will represent the U.S. in Hungary at 65 kg/143 lbs. Oliver was second at the 2014 World Team Trials.
Three remaining best of three series will be held at 12:00 p.m. PDT the next day, June 23, to determine the remaining roster spots.
McDonough, the third place finisher at the World Team Trials, will face University National Champion Nahshon Garrett (Ithaca, N.Y./Cornell University) for the University World Team spot at 57 kg/125.5 lbs. The two last wrestled in 2013 when Garrett defeated McDonough in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships 4-2 in sudden victory. McDonough was a two-time NCAA Champion for the University of Iowa.
Kilgore, the World Team Trials runner-up, will challenge University National Champion Chad Hanke (Dayton, Ore./Titan Mercury WC) for the spot at 97 kg/213 lbs. Kilgore was a NCAA Champion for Kent State University in 2012 and Hanke a past World Team Trials finalist in 2011.
The final best of three series to determine the University World Team roster will feature Fortune, the third place finisher at the World Team Trials, against University Nationals runner-up Austin Marsden (Crystal Lake, Ill./Titan Mercury WC) for the spot at 125 kg/275 lbs. Marsden was the next eligible wrestler for the University World Team at 125 kg/275 lbs. after University National Champion Adam Coon elected not to compete.
The two remaining challenge eligible weights will not feature a best of three challenge series to determine the University World Team roster.
University Nationals runner-up Tyler Caldwell (Stillwater, Okla./Sunkist Kids) will man the spot for the U.S. at 74 kg/163 lbs. The four-time NCAA All-American, Caldwell entered the spot after University National Champion Ian Miller (Oak Harbor, Ohio/Golden Pride WC) elected not to compete. In addition all eligible challengers who qualified at the World Team Trials for the wrestle-off declined the opportunity to challenge.
2014 NCAA Champion Chris Perry (Stillwater, Okla./Titan Mercury WC) has been awarded the 86 kg/189 lbs. University World Team spot after winning the University Nationals and placing third at the World Team Trials.
The two remaining roster spots for the University World Team at the non-Olympic weights have also been established. B.J. Futrell (Ann Arbor, Mich./Titan Mercury WC) and James Green (Willingboro, N.J./Titan Mercury WC) will represent the U.S. at the University World Championships at 61 kg/134 lbs. and 70 kg/154 lbs. respectively.
2014 Freestyle University World Team Wrestle-Off Matchups
57 kg/125.5 lbs.: Matt McDonough (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Nahshon Garrett (Ithaca, N.Y./Cornell University)
65 kg/143 lbs.: Jordan Oliver (Stillwater, Okla./Titan Mercury WC) vs. Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J./Rutgers)
97 kg/213 lbs.: Dustin Kilgore (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids/OTC) vs. Chad Hanke (Dayton, Ore./Titan Mercury WC
125 kg/275 lbs.: Tyrell Fortune (Portland, Ore./Titan Mercury WC) vs. Austin Marsden (Crystal Lake, Ill./Titan Mercury WC)
2014 Freestyle University World Team Roster
57 kg/125.5 lbs.: TBD
61 kg/134 lbs.: B.J. Futrell (Ann Arbor, Mich./Titan Mercury WC)
65 kg/143 lbs.: TBD
70 kg/154 lbs.: James Green (Willingboro, N.J./Titan Mercury WC)
74 kg/163 lbs.: Tyler Caldwell (Stillwater, Okla./Sunkist Kids)
86 kg/189 lbs.: Chris Perry (Stillwater, Okla./Titan Mercury WC)
97 kg/213 lbs.: TBD
125 kg/275 lbs.: TBD

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