U.S. to compete in Grappling World Championships in Minsk, Belarus, October 1-2
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Mike Kelly, shown at the Grappling World Team Trials, has won seven World medals for the USA in past Grappling World Championships.
The United States hopes to win a number of medals and have a strong team finish at the 2016 UWW Grappling World Championships in Minsk, Belarus, October 1-2.
The team is a mix of experienced athletes with past success at the UWW Grappling Worlds, as well as a number of talented newcomers to Team USA.
Two of the most successful athletes in USA Wrestling Grappling history will compete on Team USA, Lisa Ward, (Olympia, Wash./United Training Center) and Michael Kelly (Hebron, Ill./Old School Wrestling), both who will be competing in the No-Gi competition.
Ward has won the most World gold medals in Grappling in U.S. history with five. She has won No-Gi gold medals in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011, and a Gi gold medal in 2008. Ward is entered at 53 kg.
Kelly has won the most No-Gi medals for the United States with seven, including two silver medals and five bronze medals. Most recently, Kelly won a silver medal at the 2015 Grappling World Championships. Kelly is competing at 77 kg.
Both Ward and Kelly have won seven Grappling medals for the USA, trailing only Tara LaRosa, who boasts nine total World medals in her career.
Joining Kelly as a return member from the 2015 U.S. Grappling World Team are Gabe Beauperthuy (Colorado Springs, Colo./Edge MMA & Fitness) at Over 100 kg/Unlimited in No-Gi, and Jessica Philippus (Glenwood, Iowa/Edge MMA & Fitness) at 53 kg in Gi. Last year, Phillippus won a bronze medal in No-Gi.
Seven of the team members are competing on their first U.S. World Teams, all who are competing in both No-Gi and Gi Grappling. They include Mark Huls (Champaign, Ill./Edge MMA & Fitness) at 62 kg, Aaron Johnson (Greenwood, Ind./Team James Clingerman) at 66 kg, Daniel Rodriguez (LaSalle, Ill./Rodriguez bjj) at 71 kg, Dan Brecht (Sunset Beach, Calif./Edge MMA & Fitness) at 84 kg, Josh Eckmann (Island Lake, Ill./Old School Wrestling) at 92 kg, Carlos Soto (West Lafayette, Ind./Atos) at 100 kg and women’s competitor Laree Callihan (Lacey, Wash./United Training Center) at 71+kg
All of the U.S. World Team members qualified to represent the USA in Belarus at the Grappling World Team Trials in Wilmington, N.C. in May.
The USA will have one entry in the Veterans division, first-time U.S. World Team member Jason Cumiford (Lacey, Wash./United Training Center), who is competing at 71 kg in both styles.
The Senior athletes on the roster will compete in the No-Gi Grappling competition on Saturday, October 1 and in the Gi Grappling competition on Sunday, October 2. The Veterans competition and other age-group events will be contested on September 29-30.
Coaching the team will be Sheldon Marr of Denver, Colo., who has been on the coaching staff for all of the past U.S. World Teams in Grappling. Rich Tado of Lake in the Hills, Ill. is the referee for the USA.
This is the 10th straight year that USA Wrestling has competed in UWW Grappling World events.
The United States was World team champions in No-Gi Grappling in 2014 in Budapest, Hungary, 2010 in Krakow, Poland, 2009 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 2008 in Lucerne, Switzerland and 2007 in Antalya, Turkey. The USA also won the Gi Grappling World Team title in 2009 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
GRAPPLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Minsk, Belarus, Oct. 1-2
U.S. Senior No-Gi roster
Men
62 kg - Mark Huls, Champaign, Ill. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
66 kg - Aaron Johnson, Greenwood, Ind. (Team James Clingerman)
71 kg - Daniel Rodriguez, LaSalle, Ill. (Rodriguez bjj)
77 kg - Michael Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Old School Wrestling)
84 kg - Dan Brecht, Sunset Beach, Calif. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
92 kg - Josh Eckmann, Island Lake, Ill. (Old School Wrestling)
100 kg - Carlos Soto, West Lafayette, Ind. (Atos)
100+ kg - Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
Women
53 kg - Lisa Ward, Olympia, Wash. (United Training Center)
71+ kg/unlimited - Laree Callihan, Lacey, Wash. (United Training Center)
U.S. Senior Gi roster
Men
62 kg - Mark Huls, Champaign, Ill. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
66 kg - Aaron Johnson, Greenwood, Ind. (Team James Clingerman)
71 kg - Daniel Rodriguez, LaSalle, Ill. (Rodriguez bjj)
77 kg - Russ Tabaka, Island Lake, Ill. (Old School Wrestling)
84 kg - Dan Brecht, Sunset Beach, Calif. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
92 kg - Josh Eckmann, Island Lake, Ill. (Old School Wrestling)
100 kg - Carlos Soto, West Lafayette, Ind. (Atos)
100+ kg - Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
Women
53 kg - Jessica Philippus, Glenwood, Iowa (Edge MMA & Fitness)
70+ kg - Laree Callihan, Lacey, Wash. (United Training Center)
U.S. Veterans roster (both styles)
71 kg - Jason Cumiford (Lacey, Wash./United Training Center)
U.S. Coach – Sheldon Marr, Denver, Colo.
Referee – Rich Tado, Lake in the Hills, Ill.
The United States hopes to win a number of medals and have a strong team finish at the 2016 UWW Grappling World Championships in Minsk, Belarus, October 1-2.
The team is a mix of experienced athletes with past success at the UWW Grappling Worlds, as well as a number of talented newcomers to Team USA.
Two of the most successful athletes in USA Wrestling Grappling history will compete on Team USA, Lisa Ward, (Olympia, Wash./United Training Center) and Michael Kelly (Hebron, Ill./Old School Wrestling), both who will be competing in the No-Gi competition.
Ward has won the most World gold medals in Grappling in U.S. history with five. She has won No-Gi gold medals in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011, and a Gi gold medal in 2008. Ward is entered at 53 kg.
Kelly has won the most No-Gi medals for the United States with seven, including two silver medals and five bronze medals. Most recently, Kelly won a silver medal at the 2015 Grappling World Championships. Kelly is competing at 77 kg.
Both Ward and Kelly have won seven Grappling medals for the USA, trailing only Tara LaRosa, who boasts nine total World medals in her career.
Joining Kelly as a return member from the 2015 U.S. Grappling World Team are Gabe Beauperthuy (Colorado Springs, Colo./Edge MMA & Fitness) at Over 100 kg/Unlimited in No-Gi, and Jessica Philippus (Glenwood, Iowa/Edge MMA & Fitness) at 53 kg in Gi. Last year, Phillippus won a bronze medal in No-Gi.
Seven of the team members are competing on their first U.S. World Teams, all who are competing in both No-Gi and Gi Grappling. They include Mark Huls (Champaign, Ill./Edge MMA & Fitness) at 62 kg, Aaron Johnson (Greenwood, Ind./Team James Clingerman) at 66 kg, Daniel Rodriguez (LaSalle, Ill./Rodriguez bjj) at 71 kg, Dan Brecht (Sunset Beach, Calif./Edge MMA & Fitness) at 84 kg, Josh Eckmann (Island Lake, Ill./Old School Wrestling) at 92 kg, Carlos Soto (West Lafayette, Ind./Atos) at 100 kg and women’s competitor Laree Callihan (Lacey, Wash./United Training Center) at 71+kg
All of the U.S. World Team members qualified to represent the USA in Belarus at the Grappling World Team Trials in Wilmington, N.C. in May.
The USA will have one entry in the Veterans division, first-time U.S. World Team member Jason Cumiford (Lacey, Wash./United Training Center), who is competing at 71 kg in both styles.
The Senior athletes on the roster will compete in the No-Gi Grappling competition on Saturday, October 1 and in the Gi Grappling competition on Sunday, October 2. The Veterans competition and other age-group events will be contested on September 29-30.
Coaching the team will be Sheldon Marr of Denver, Colo., who has been on the coaching staff for all of the past U.S. World Teams in Grappling. Rich Tado of Lake in the Hills, Ill. is the referee for the USA.
This is the 10th straight year that USA Wrestling has competed in UWW Grappling World events.
The United States was World team champions in No-Gi Grappling in 2014 in Budapest, Hungary, 2010 in Krakow, Poland, 2009 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 2008 in Lucerne, Switzerland and 2007 in Antalya, Turkey. The USA also won the Gi Grappling World Team title in 2009 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
GRAPPLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Minsk, Belarus, Oct. 1-2
U.S. Senior No-Gi roster
Men
62 kg - Mark Huls, Champaign, Ill. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
66 kg - Aaron Johnson, Greenwood, Ind. (Team James Clingerman)
71 kg - Daniel Rodriguez, LaSalle, Ill. (Rodriguez bjj)
77 kg - Michael Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Old School Wrestling)
84 kg - Dan Brecht, Sunset Beach, Calif. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
92 kg - Josh Eckmann, Island Lake, Ill. (Old School Wrestling)
100 kg - Carlos Soto, West Lafayette, Ind. (Atos)
100+ kg - Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
Women
53 kg - Lisa Ward, Olympia, Wash. (United Training Center)
71+ kg/unlimited - Laree Callihan, Lacey, Wash. (United Training Center)
U.S. Senior Gi roster
Men
62 kg - Mark Huls, Champaign, Ill. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
66 kg - Aaron Johnson, Greenwood, Ind. (Team James Clingerman)
71 kg - Daniel Rodriguez, LaSalle, Ill. (Rodriguez bjj)
77 kg - Russ Tabaka, Island Lake, Ill. (Old School Wrestling)
84 kg - Dan Brecht, Sunset Beach, Calif. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
92 kg - Josh Eckmann, Island Lake, Ill. (Old School Wrestling)
100 kg - Carlos Soto, West Lafayette, Ind. (Atos)
100+ kg - Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Edge MMA & Fitness)
Women
53 kg - Jessica Philippus, Glenwood, Iowa (Edge MMA & Fitness)
70+ kg - Laree Callihan, Lacey, Wash. (United Training Center)
U.S. Veterans roster (both styles)
71 kg - Jason Cumiford (Lacey, Wash./United Training Center)
U.S. Coach – Sheldon Marr, Denver, Colo.
Referee – Rich Tado, Lake in the Hills, Ill.
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