2017 U.S. Freestyle World Championship Team gets their World Champion rings during NCAA finals
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
The 2017 U.S. World Champion men's freestyle team poses together after receiving their championship rings during the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Finals at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Photo by Larry Slater.
After the first match of the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships finals at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland on Saturday, won by Iowa’s Spencer Lee, the sport of wrestling celebrated the 2017 USA Men’s Freestyle World Team, which won the World Team Title in Paris, France.
In front of the sell-out crowd of over 19,000 fans, the athletes, coaches and leaders from the World Champion Team received their World Championship rings.
It was the first time in 22 years and only the third time ever that Team USA has been World Freestyle Champions.
The team featured eight wrestlers, six who were past champions at this tournament and all who were All-Americans at the Div. I level. These amazing athletes won two golds, two silvers and two bronzes in Paris, and beat the mighty Russian team by one point in the standings.
Making the presentation to the team and receiving their rings were:
• USA Wrestling President Bruce Baumgartner
• Executive Director Rich Bender’
• Assistant National Freestyle Coaches Joe Russell and Kevin Jackson
• and 2017 Freestyle World Team Coaches Sammie Henson and Coleman Scott.
Receiving their World Champion rings were
• USA Wrestling Freestyle Team Leader Jamie Dinan
• National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick
• 57 kg World silver medalist and Iowa grad Thomas Gilman
• 61 kg team member and Ohio State grad Logan Stieber
• 65 kg team member and current Penn State wrestler Zain Retherford
• 70 kg World silver medalist and Nebraska grad James Green
• 74 kg World champion and Nebraska grad Jordan Burroughs
• 86 kg World bronze medalist and Missouri grad J’den Cox
• 96 kg World champion and current Ohio State star Kyle Snyder
• 125 kg World bronze medalist and NC State grad Nick Gwiazdowski
Two of the 2017 World Team members, Zain Retherford of Penn State and Kyle Snyder of Ohio State were finalists in the 2018 NCAA Championships. Both won NCAA titles on Saturday night, their third career NCAA titles. Snyder, who wrestled in the last match of the finals, was able to be there for presentation of the rings.
The fans chanted USA, USA, USA as the World Championship Team posed together after the ring ceremony
Many of the 2017 World Team members were attending Team USA practice at the NCAA Fan Fest in Cleveland, in preparation for the Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City, April 7-8.
After the first match of the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships finals at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland on Saturday, won by Iowa’s Spencer Lee, the sport of wrestling celebrated the 2017 USA Men’s Freestyle World Team, which won the World Team Title in Paris, France.
In front of the sell-out crowd of over 19,000 fans, the athletes, coaches and leaders from the World Champion Team received their World Championship rings.
It was the first time in 22 years and only the third time ever that Team USA has been World Freestyle Champions.
The team featured eight wrestlers, six who were past champions at this tournament and all who were All-Americans at the Div. I level. These amazing athletes won two golds, two silvers and two bronzes in Paris, and beat the mighty Russian team by one point in the standings.
Making the presentation to the team and receiving their rings were:
• USA Wrestling President Bruce Baumgartner
• Executive Director Rich Bender’
• Assistant National Freestyle Coaches Joe Russell and Kevin Jackson
• and 2017 Freestyle World Team Coaches Sammie Henson and Coleman Scott.
Receiving their World Champion rings were
• USA Wrestling Freestyle Team Leader Jamie Dinan
• National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick
• 57 kg World silver medalist and Iowa grad Thomas Gilman
• 61 kg team member and Ohio State grad Logan Stieber
• 65 kg team member and current Penn State wrestler Zain Retherford
• 70 kg World silver medalist and Nebraska grad James Green
• 74 kg World champion and Nebraska grad Jordan Burroughs
• 86 kg World bronze medalist and Missouri grad J’den Cox
• 96 kg World champion and current Ohio State star Kyle Snyder
• 125 kg World bronze medalist and NC State grad Nick Gwiazdowski
Two of the 2017 World Team members, Zain Retherford of Penn State and Kyle Snyder of Ohio State were finalists in the 2018 NCAA Championships. Both won NCAA titles on Saturday night, their third career NCAA titles. Snyder, who wrestled in the last match of the finals, was able to be there for presentation of the rings.
The fans chanted USA, USA, USA as the World Championship Team posed together after the ring ceremony
Many of the 2017 World Team members were attending Team USA practice at the NCAA Fan Fest in Cleveland, in preparation for the Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City, April 7-8.
