Tervel Dlagnev named 2014 John Smith Award winner, as USA Wrestling’s Freestyle Wrestler of the Year
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Tervel Dlagnev (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) has been named the winner of the 2014 John Smith Award as the Freestyle Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the first time that Dlagnev has won this prestigious award.
The award is named in honor of two-time Olympic champion and four-time World champion John Smith.
Dlagnev won a bronze medal at the 2014 World Wrestling Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It was his second career World bronze medal, to go along with his 2009 World bronze.
Dlagnev opened the World Championships with victories over Aleksandr Romanov of Moldova, 11-1 and Soslan Gagloev of Slovakia, 5-0. In the quarterfinals, he fell to eventual champion Taha Akgul of Turkey, 2-4. When Akgul reached the finals, Dlagnev was placed into repechage, where he beat Aslan Dzebisov of Azerbaijan, 3-1. In the bronze-medal bout, he beat past World champion Alexei Shemarov of Belarus, 2-1.
Dlagnev has competed in medal matches at the World Championships and Olympics five times, placing fifth at the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2011 and 2013 World Championships.
Dlagnev won the U.S. World Team Trials in Madison, Wis. in June, defeating Zach Rey in the championship series in two straight matches. He qualified for his fourth U.S. World Team. He also won the U.S. Open in Las Vegas, Nev. in April, defeating Dom Bradley in the finals, 10-0. It was his third U.S. Open title.
Dlagnev also placed third at the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals in Azerbaijan in July. He also competed in the Freestyle World Cup in Los Angeles, going 1-1 in the event.
Dlagnev trains at the Ohio Regional Training Center. He was a two-time NCAA Div. II national champion and four-time All-American for Nebraska-Kearney.
A native of Arlington, Texas, Dlagnev placed third and fourth in the Texas state high school championships for Arlington High School.
PAST JOHN SMITH AWARD WINNERS AS FREESTYLE WRESTLER OF THE YEAR
2014 – Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio, Sunkist Kids
2013 - Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb., Sunkist Kids
2012 - Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb., Sunkist Kids
2011 – Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb., Sunkist Kids
2010 – J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio, New York AC
2009 – Jake Herbert, Evanston, Ill., New York AC
2008 - Henry Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids
2007 - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla., Gator WC
2006 - Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo., Gator WC
2005 - Tolly Thompson, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2004 - Cael Sanderson, Ames, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2003 - Cael Sanderson, Ames, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2002 - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2001 - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2000 - Brandon Slay, Amarillo, Texas, Dave Schultz WC
1999 - Stephen Neal, Bakerfield, Calif., Dave Schultz WC
1998 - Sammie Henson, Norman, Okla., Sunkist Kids
1997 - Les Gutches, Corvallis, Ore., Sunkist Kids
1996 - Kendall Cross, Raleigh, N.C., Sunkist Kids
1995 - Kevin Jackson, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1994 - Melvin Douglas, Mesa, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1993 - Terry and Tom Brands, Iowa City, Iowa, Team Foxcatcher
1992 - John Smith, Stillwater, Okla., Sunkist Kids
This week, USA Wrestling will name its 2014 Athletes of the Year, with its Coaches of the Year, as well as Man and Woman of the Year released next week.
The award is named in honor of two-time Olympic champion and four-time World champion John Smith.
Dlagnev won a bronze medal at the 2014 World Wrestling Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It was his second career World bronze medal, to go along with his 2009 World bronze.
Dlagnev opened the World Championships with victories over Aleksandr Romanov of Moldova, 11-1 and Soslan Gagloev of Slovakia, 5-0. In the quarterfinals, he fell to eventual champion Taha Akgul of Turkey, 2-4. When Akgul reached the finals, Dlagnev was placed into repechage, where he beat Aslan Dzebisov of Azerbaijan, 3-1. In the bronze-medal bout, he beat past World champion Alexei Shemarov of Belarus, 2-1.
Dlagnev has competed in medal matches at the World Championships and Olympics five times, placing fifth at the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2011 and 2013 World Championships.
Dlagnev won the U.S. World Team Trials in Madison, Wis. in June, defeating Zach Rey in the championship series in two straight matches. He qualified for his fourth U.S. World Team. He also won the U.S. Open in Las Vegas, Nev. in April, defeating Dom Bradley in the finals, 10-0. It was his third U.S. Open title.
Dlagnev also placed third at the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals in Azerbaijan in July. He also competed in the Freestyle World Cup in Los Angeles, going 1-1 in the event.
Dlagnev trains at the Ohio Regional Training Center. He was a two-time NCAA Div. II national champion and four-time All-American for Nebraska-Kearney.
A native of Arlington, Texas, Dlagnev placed third and fourth in the Texas state high school championships for Arlington High School.
PAST JOHN SMITH AWARD WINNERS AS FREESTYLE WRESTLER OF THE YEAR
2014 – Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio, Sunkist Kids
2013 - Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb., Sunkist Kids
2012 - Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb., Sunkist Kids
2011 – Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb., Sunkist Kids
2010 – J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio, New York AC
2009 – Jake Herbert, Evanston, Ill., New York AC
2008 - Henry Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids
2007 - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla., Gator WC
2006 - Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo., Gator WC
2005 - Tolly Thompson, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2004 - Cael Sanderson, Ames, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2003 - Cael Sanderson, Ames, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2002 - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2001 - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2000 - Brandon Slay, Amarillo, Texas, Dave Schultz WC
1999 - Stephen Neal, Bakerfield, Calif., Dave Schultz WC
1998 - Sammie Henson, Norman, Okla., Sunkist Kids
1997 - Les Gutches, Corvallis, Ore., Sunkist Kids
1996 - Kendall Cross, Raleigh, N.C., Sunkist Kids
1995 - Kevin Jackson, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1994 - Melvin Douglas, Mesa, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1993 - Terry and Tom Brands, Iowa City, Iowa, Team Foxcatcher
1992 - John Smith, Stillwater, Okla., Sunkist Kids
This week, USA Wrestling will name its 2014 Athletes of the Year, with its Coaches of the Year, as well as Man and Woman of the Year released next week.
