USA to enter six talents at Non-Olympic Weight Class World Championships in Hungary, Dec. 10-11
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
James Green, shown at the Non-Olympic Weight World Team Trials in New York, returns to the World Championships seeking a second career World medal. Photo by Larry Slater.
Six talented wrestlers will compete for the United States at the Non-Olympic Weight World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on December 10-11. There will be two athletes in each of the three Olympic disciplines, at the World Championship weights not contested at the Olympic Games.
The team is a mix of experience and young talent, with three past U.S. World Team members and three first-time U.S. World Team members. There is one athlete in each style who has past Senior World Championships experience. The U.S. team was determined at the Non-Olympic Weight Class World Team Trials, held in New York City at the New York Athletic Club in November.
In men’s freestyle, 2015 World bronze medalist James Green (Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC) will compete in his second World Championships at 70 kg/154 lbs. Green, a four-time All-American at Nebraska, has won a number of international medals at this weight class.
2011 Junior World silver medalist Logan Stieber (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) will compete at his first Senior World Championships at 61 kg/134 lbs. A four-time NCAA champion for Ohio State, Stieber has dropped down in weight from 65 kg/143 lbs., where he has been a top competitor for a number of seasons.
In women’s freestyle, Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) will compete in her fourth Senior World Championships, this time at 60 kg/132 lbs. Her previous World Championships appearances were down at 58 kg/128 lbs., an Olympic weight class. Her top finish at the Senior Worlds was fifth place in 2014. A two-time Junior World bronze medalist, Ragan won two WCWA college national titles for King Univ.
Joining her on Team USA at 55 kg/121 lbs. is Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), who is competing at her first Senior World Championships. She competed at the Junior World Championships in 2012 and 2013 and was also on the USA World University Games team in 2013. She was a teammate with Ragan at King University, where she won two WCWA college national titles. Ragan and Hildebrandt were roommates in college and also now at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
In Greco-Roman, 2015 U.S. World Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) will compete in his second World Championships at 80 kg/176 lbs. Martinez competed at 85 kg/187.5 lbs. for the Olympic year, and moved back down to this weight class. He was a 2015 U.S. Open champion and a 2016 University Nationals champion. Martinez competed for Wyoming and Nebraska-Kearney in college.
Competing on his first U.S. World Team is Christopher Gonzalez (Bolingbrook, Ill./U.S. Army WCAP) at 71 kg/156 lbs. When Gonzales won his weight class at the Non-Olympic Weight World Team Trials, it was his first Senior-level tournament victory. He has been a U.S. Open All-American three times, with his highest placement being fourth in 2016.
The Non-Olympic Weight Class World Championships is a two-day tournament, with three weight classes contested each day, one from each style. On Saturday, December 10, Hildebrandt, Stieber and Gonzalez will compete for the USA in their Senior World Championships debuts. On Sunday, December 11, past World Team members Green, Ragan and Martinez will compete for Team USA.
2016 NON-OLYMPIC WEIGHT CLASS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Budapest, Hungary, Dec. 10-11
U.S. World Team rosters
Women’s freestyle
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
National Women’s Coach – Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach – Dennis Ragan, Murphysboro, Ill.
Coach – Brad Harper, Osceola, Ind.
Men’s freestyle
61 kg/134 lbs. - Logan Stieber (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
70 kg/154 lbs. – James Green (Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC)
National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach - Bryan Snyder, Lincoln, Neb.
Coach – J. Jaggers, Columbus, Ohio
Greco-Roman
71 kg/156 lbs. – Christopher Gonzalez, Bolingbrook, Ill. (U.S. Army WCAP)
80 kg/176 lbs. - Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Assistant National Greco-Roman Coach Momir Petkovic, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach – J.D. Robbins, Oviedo, Fla.
Coach – Herb House, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Medical – Darryl Miller, Centennial, Colo.
Medical – Dr. Mike Baria, Rochester, Minn.
Message Therapist – Amy Murry, Olympia, Wash.
Referee – Ron Fazio, Wayne, N.J.
Event Schedule
(times in Budapest, Hungary, six hours ahead of USA Eastern time)
Saturday, December 10 (U.S. entries Hildebrandt, Stieber, Gonzalez)
10:00 a.m. – Preliminaries and repechage (55 kg W, 61 kg FS, 71 kg GR)
5:00 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
6:00 p.m. – Medal Match finals (55 kg W, 61 kg FS, 71 kg GR)
Sunday, December 11 (U.S. entries Ragan, Green, Martinez)
10:00 a.m. – Preliminaries and repechage (60 kg W, 70 kg FS, 80 kg GR)
5:00 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
6:00 p.m. – Medal Match finals (60 kg W, 70 kg FS, 80 kg GR)
Six talented wrestlers will compete for the United States at the Non-Olympic Weight World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on December 10-11. There will be two athletes in each of the three Olympic disciplines, at the World Championship weights not contested at the Olympic Games.
The team is a mix of experience and young talent, with three past U.S. World Team members and three first-time U.S. World Team members. There is one athlete in each style who has past Senior World Championships experience. The U.S. team was determined at the Non-Olympic Weight Class World Team Trials, held in New York City at the New York Athletic Club in November.
In men’s freestyle, 2015 World bronze medalist James Green (Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC) will compete in his second World Championships at 70 kg/154 lbs. Green, a four-time All-American at Nebraska, has won a number of international medals at this weight class.
2011 Junior World silver medalist Logan Stieber (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) will compete at his first Senior World Championships at 61 kg/134 lbs. A four-time NCAA champion for Ohio State, Stieber has dropped down in weight from 65 kg/143 lbs., where he has been a top competitor for a number of seasons.
In women’s freestyle, Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) will compete in her fourth Senior World Championships, this time at 60 kg/132 lbs. Her previous World Championships appearances were down at 58 kg/128 lbs., an Olympic weight class. Her top finish at the Senior Worlds was fifth place in 2014. A two-time Junior World bronze medalist, Ragan won two WCWA college national titles for King Univ.
Joining her on Team USA at 55 kg/121 lbs. is Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), who is competing at her first Senior World Championships. She competed at the Junior World Championships in 2012 and 2013 and was also on the USA World University Games team in 2013. She was a teammate with Ragan at King University, where she won two WCWA college national titles. Ragan and Hildebrandt were roommates in college and also now at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
In Greco-Roman, 2015 U.S. World Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) will compete in his second World Championships at 80 kg/176 lbs. Martinez competed at 85 kg/187.5 lbs. for the Olympic year, and moved back down to this weight class. He was a 2015 U.S. Open champion and a 2016 University Nationals champion. Martinez competed for Wyoming and Nebraska-Kearney in college.
Competing on his first U.S. World Team is Christopher Gonzalez (Bolingbrook, Ill./U.S. Army WCAP) at 71 kg/156 lbs. When Gonzales won his weight class at the Non-Olympic Weight World Team Trials, it was his first Senior-level tournament victory. He has been a U.S. Open All-American three times, with his highest placement being fourth in 2016.
The Non-Olympic Weight Class World Championships is a two-day tournament, with three weight classes contested each day, one from each style. On Saturday, December 10, Hildebrandt, Stieber and Gonzalez will compete for the USA in their Senior World Championships debuts. On Sunday, December 11, past World Team members Green, Ragan and Martinez will compete for Team USA.
2016 NON-OLYMPIC WEIGHT CLASS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Budapest, Hungary, Dec. 10-11
U.S. World Team rosters
Women’s freestyle
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
National Women’s Coach – Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach – Dennis Ragan, Murphysboro, Ill.
Coach – Brad Harper, Osceola, Ind.
Men’s freestyle
61 kg/134 lbs. - Logan Stieber (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
70 kg/154 lbs. – James Green (Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC)
National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach - Bryan Snyder, Lincoln, Neb.
Coach – J. Jaggers, Columbus, Ohio
Greco-Roman
71 kg/156 lbs. – Christopher Gonzalez, Bolingbrook, Ill. (U.S. Army WCAP)
80 kg/176 lbs. - Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Assistant National Greco-Roman Coach Momir Petkovic, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach – J.D. Robbins, Oviedo, Fla.
Coach – Herb House, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Medical – Darryl Miller, Centennial, Colo.
Medical – Dr. Mike Baria, Rochester, Minn.
Message Therapist – Amy Murry, Olympia, Wash.
Referee – Ron Fazio, Wayne, N.J.
Event Schedule
(times in Budapest, Hungary, six hours ahead of USA Eastern time)
Saturday, December 10 (U.S. entries Hildebrandt, Stieber, Gonzalez)
10:00 a.m. – Preliminaries and repechage (55 kg W, 61 kg FS, 71 kg GR)
5:00 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
6:00 p.m. – Medal Match finals (55 kg W, 61 kg FS, 71 kg GR)
Sunday, December 11 (U.S. entries Ragan, Green, Martinez)
10:00 a.m. – Preliminaries and repechage (60 kg W, 70 kg FS, 80 kg GR)
5:00 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
6:00 p.m. – Medal Match finals (60 kg W, 70 kg FS, 80 kg GR)
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