Cunningham gets top seed for US Nationals

Simmons, Hrovat, Churella also nab seeds

4/23 - The road to Beijing gets underway this weekend in Las Vegas with the US Senior

Nationals.  All placers from the US Nationals in Freestyle, Greco Roman, and Women's

divisions will qualify for the Olympic Trials later this summer.

Four former Michigan college and high school standouts earned seeds for the US Nationals

in freestyle, most notably CMU assistant coach Casey Cunnigham who earned the top spot

at 74kg/163lbs.  Cunningham, a former NCAA champ for CMU, finished 2nd at last year's

World Team Trials.

Nick Simmons, a former 4x All-American for MSU and 4x state champ for Williamston HS,

earned the #4 seed at 55kg/121lbs.  Simmons, who graduated from MSU last year, finished

2nd at the US Nationals last year, losing to this year's #1 seed Henry Cejudo in the finals.

Two former Michigan Wolverine all-americans earned seeds for this weekend Nationals as well.  Former World Team member Andy Hrovat is slated as the 4th seed at 85kg/185lbs and Ryan Churella got the 7th seed at 74kg.  Churella was a state champ for Novi High School.

To view the full seeds for freestyle, click here.  Check back this weekend for updates from Las Vegas.

Michigan's seeded wrestlers

55kg: #4 Nick Simmons (Sunkist) - Michigan State, Williamston HS

74kg: #1 Casey Cunningham (Sunkist) - Central Michigan, Fulton-Middleton HS

74kg: #6 Ramico Blackman (Sunkist) - Eastern Michigan

74kg: #7 Ryan Churella (NYAC) - Michigan, Novi HS

85kg: #4 Andy Hrovat (NYAC) - Michigan

Copyright 2007-08 Michigan Grappler, LLC

May not be reproduced with expressed written consent

Contact via email: admin@michigangrpapler.com