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International Links
Reader wins Gold at Grand Prix in India
5/28 - The United States sent a squad of up-and-coming Senior Level wrestlers to India for the Hari Ram Grand Prix this weekend and former Davison standout Jon Reader won Gold in the Freestyle 185lb Division. Reader, a 2011 NCAA Champ for Iowa State, went 4-0 on the day and did not surrender a single period.
Simmons, Metcalf fall in Trials Finals
4/23 - A pair of former Michigan 4x State Champions advanced to the Olympic Trials Freestyle Finals, however, both fell short. Nick Simmons (pictured) scored one of the biggest wins
of the tournament, knocking off reigning Olympic Gold Medallist Henry Cejudo in the semifinals. Metcalf upended fellow Michigander Josh Churella in the semifinals. Click below for more coverage.
Simmons article (msuspartans.com)
Churella article (mgoblue.com)
Andrus finishes 2nd at Trials, Salata places 4th
4/22 - Day 1 of the 2012 Olympic Trials attracted the largest crowd in Trials history to Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Michigan State junior Steve Andrus, who was a wild-card selection to the
Trials in Greco-Roman 120kg, won his first three matches to advance to the best-of-three finals where he fell to former World Champion Dremiel Byers. The other Michigander to place was Canton native Julia Salata who finished 4th in the Womens division.
Andrus article (msuspartans.com)
Reader in pursuit of Olympic Dream
12/27 - Jon Reader knows a thing or two about being a Champion. The Davison High School graduate won 3 Individual State Titles as a prep, in addition to headlining 4 State Championship teams under Coach Roy Hall. Last year he continued his winning ways with an NCAA Division 1 National Championship at Iowa State University. Now he has his sights set on Olympic glory in 2012. MI Grappler's Jeff Chaney recently caught up with Reader to see what he is up to now-a-days.
Former Spartan Gomez earns silver at Worlds
9/19 - Former Michigan State NCAA Champ Franklin Gomez exploded on the international
scene last week, finishing runner-up at the Freestyle World Championships at 60kg,
wrestling for Puerto Rico. Gomez, who graduated from MSU in 2010, lives in State College, PA and trains with the Nittany Lion WC.
(TheMat.com)
Simmons falls in Bronze Medal match
9/16 - Michigan native Nick Simmons made his World Championships debut today in Istanbul, Turkey. The former 4x MI State Champ won his first four matches at 55kg to advance to the Semifinals where he fell 1-0, 1-0 to Rodoslav Velikov of Bulgaria. Simmons then lost his bronze medal match to the Iranian. Although he fell just shy of a medal, the former MSU Spartan did qualify the United States at 55kg for next summer's 2012 Olympics.
Nick Simmons makes Freestyle World Team
6/11 - The United States World Team Trials wrapped up today in Oklahoma City and one Michigan native made a World Team as Williamston natvie and former 4x undefeated High School State Champ Nick Simmons won the 55kg mini-tournament and then capped it off by winning the final two matches in the best of three finals over Sam Hazewinkel to make his first world team. Simmons, a former 4x All-American for Michigan State, was the only Michigander to win the trials. Davison native Brent Metcalf fell just short of making his 2nd straight world team, falling to Teyon Ware in the best of three finals at 66kg. Click more for the full Team Trials Results.
Metcalf runs the gauntlet to make World Team
6/15 - Last weekend the best wrestlers that America has to offer gathered to
battle it out for spots on the coveted US World Team. One Michigan native claimed a spot on the world team, and he did it the hard way. Davison native Brent Metcalf earned a spot in the Trials via coach's wildcard and ran through the challenge tournament without losing a period before out-lasting Jared Frayer in an epic best-of-three finals. Click more for a full recap and visit our Video Page for videos of the Michigan matches.
Donahoe, Dolly earn Trials bids at NE Regional
5/2 - The Senior Division competed at the Northeast Regional this weekend
as well and a couple Senior level wrestlers with Michigan ties landed bids to the World Team Trials. Former Davison 3x state champ and NCAA Champion Paul Donahoe won the 55kg/121lb title with a finals win over Mark McKnight and current MSU assistant Alex Dolly, who competed for Northern Iowa, won the 96kg title beating NCAA Qualifier Luke Rebertus of Navy in the finals. Donahoe and Dolly are now qualified to compete in the World Team Trials next month in Council Bluffs, IA. Click more for the full story from the TheMat.com
Churella & Rizgallah finish runner up at US Open
4/24 - The 2010 US Open concluded today with two Michiganders finishing runner up. Former UM All-American Josh Churella finished 2nd at 66kg after losing a three-period battle to Jared Frayer. Current MSU sophomore John Rizgallah finished runner up as well after dropping the Greco-Roman 120kg final. Click below for a full recap.
Simmons, Hrovat slated for Big 10-Big 12 Challenge
3/17 - In the midst of this weekend's NCAA Championships in Omaha, Nebraska, USA Wrestling in conjuction with the NCAA will be hosting a freestyle exhibition dual
meet featuring former standouts from the Big Ten and Big 12 Conferences. Among the Big Ten athletes invited to compete is former Michigan State 4x All-American Nick Simmons (pictured) who as a World Team Alternate last year, as well as former
Univ of Michigan All-American Andy Hrovat, who was a 2008 Olympic Team Member. Click more for full story.
Joe Warren ready for return to Greco
1/29 - Joe Warren's two and half year hiatus from Greco-Roman Wrestling will end this weekend as he returns to the mats for the Kit Carson Cup in Colorado Springs. Warren, who was known as the "Baddest Man on the Planet" back in 2006 after winning the World Championships, is coming off a 2 year suspension that caused him to miss the 2008 Olympics. Since leaving wrestling, Warren has made it big as an international MMA phenom and in TheMat.com's recent feature article the East Kentwood native and University of Michigan graduate talks about his plans to be the best Greco Roman Wrestler and MMA fighter in the World. Click more to read the full article.
TheMat.com U.S. National Senior Rankings released
1/10 - TheMat.com and USA Wrestling recently released their updated Senior Level rankings and a handful of former Michigan preps and collegiates were featured in the Freestyle rankings. Former Michigan State 4x All-American Nick Simmons, former Michigan NCAA Finalist Josh Churella, and former Davison star Brent Metcalf are among the Michiganders ranked. Click more to view the full rankings.
Churella wins NYAC International Title
11/23 - The NYAC hosted their annual International Open last weekend and former
Michigan Wolverine Josh Churella won the 66kg Freestyle Title. The Novi native
downed Kohei Fujimoto of Japan in the finals. Click more for a full recap.
Weber finishes runner-up at Sunkist International
10/30 - Former Goodrich All-State wrestler CC Weber was in last weekend at the Sunkist International, finishing runner-up at 48kg. Weber, who was a Womens Junior National Champion the last two summers in Fargo, fell to Ashley McKillegen of Canada 1-0, 1-0 in the finals. She was the highest placing American at her weight.
Reader, Donahoe place at Sunkist Open
10/25 - Former Davison High School state champs Jon Reader and Paul Donahoe both placed last weekend at the Sunkist International Open. Reader, who is a junior at Iowa State, finished 2nd at 163lbs while Donahoe, who graduated from Edinboro last year, finished 4th at 121lbs. Click more to view the full results from the event.
Weber & Salata place at Canada Cup
CC Weber and Julia Salata both placed at the Canada Cup in Ontario last weekend. Weber brought home the bronze medal in the Senior Division while Salata finished 4th in the Junior Division. Click more for full recap
2009 World Team Trials Coverage Section
Simmons wins U.S. Senior National Freestyle Crown
Simmons & Churella brothers among 10 Michigan natives to place
4/11 - The 2009 US Senior Freestyle Nationals featured an influx of up and coming young stars on the international scene with 7 first-time champions,
including former Michigan State 4x All-American Nick Simmons, who won the 55kg championship with a 7-4, 7-1 finals win over Obe Blanc. In all, there were 9 Michigan natives who placed today, click more for a full recap.
CC Weber finishes 3rd in Senior Women's Nationals
4/9 - A month ago CC Weber was battling high school boys for a State Championship and today she was duking it out it with adult women for a National Title. Weber finished 3rd at 48kg in the US Senior Women's Freestyle Division, click more for a full recap.
TheMat.com senior level rankings released
3/27 - TheMat.com and USA Wrestling released their latest senior level national rankings for Freestyle, Greco-Roman, and Women's Freestyle. A handful of Michigan natives made the rankings, which will be used as a basis for the US National seedings next weekend. Two Michiganders landed #1 rankings in Men's Freestyle as Nick Simmons landed the top spot at 55kg and Andy Hrovat came in at #1 at 84kg. Click more to view the full rankings and see all the Michiganders in the rankings.
Andy Simmons takes 4th at Schultz in return
Simmons, Churella brothers round out Michigan placewinners
2/9 - After a nearly 2 year hiatus, Andy Simmons made his return to international wrestling last weekend at the Dave Schultz International in Colorado Springs. The former Michigan State 2x All-American went 4-2 at 60kg to finish 4th. He was the highest placing American in his weight. The Churella brothers Josh and Ryan both placed as well at 66kg and 74kg, respectively. Click more for full results.
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