U.S. WORLD TEAM TRIALS - FREESTYLE 16 champs crowned
By Craig Sesker MADISON, Wis. – The U.S. is sending
a very powerful women's team to the 2015 World Championships. World champions Adeline Gray and
Elena Pirozhkova, along with World medalists Alyssa Lampe and Helen Maroulis, made sure of that by winning women’s freestyle titles at the U.S. World Team Trials on June 13-14 at the Alliant Energy Center. Champions advance to September’s
World Championships in Las Vegas. The U.S. women have finished third in
the team race at the last two Worlds. Gray, a two-time World champion and four-time World medalist, rolled to a pair of wins over Jackie Cataline in the best- of-3 finals at 75 kg/165 lbs. “This was an exciting day,” Gray said. “I
prepared to win two dominating matches and that’s what I did today. I’m ready to have a great performance at the Worlds.” Pirozhkova, a World champion and four-time World medalist, recorded a pair of technical falls over Tamyra Mensah at 69 kg/152 lbs. “I came in here prepared and I’m look-
ing forward to winning another World title,” Pirozhkova said. “It’s going to be awesome to wrestle at the Worlds on U.S. soil for the first time. I’m excited for that opportunity.” Lampe, a Wisconsin native, looked
very strong in sweeping 2013 World fifth- place finisher Victoria Anthony to win the title at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. “Victoria’s a very tough wrestler and I
made some adjustments from the last time I wrestled her,” Lampe said. “I kept my composure and followed my game plan. It was great having fans here cheer- ing for me. It gives you a boost.” Helen Maroulis powered her way to two
straight wins over U.S. Open champion Sharon Jacobson in the finals at 55 kg/121 lbs. Maroulis moved down a weight after winning the Open at 58 kg/128 lbs. “I’ve learned a lot and I came back
strong after a tough loss at the 2012 Olympic Trials,” Maroulis said. “I have a great team supporting me and helping me, and a great coach in Valentin Kalika. I have all the right people behind me now. I’m excited to wrestle at the Worlds on
12 USA Wrestler Alyssa Lampe made her fourth straight World Team. Tony Rotundo photo.
U.S. soil.” U.S. Open champion Leigh Jaynes- Provisor won a pair of hard-fought match- es over Challenge Tournament winner Jennifer Page to win the title at 60 kg/132 lbs.
Alli Ragan swept two straight matches
from 2012 Olympian Kelsey Campbell at 58 kg/128 lbs. Ragan was fifth in the World last year and is now on her third straight World Team. “I believed in my training,” Ragan said.
“I really peaked for this tournament. I’m excited about Worlds. We have a young team, but we are definitely working on getting that No. 1 spot as a team and Las Vegas is the place to do it.” Returning World Team member Whitney Conder took two straight bouts over Challenge Tournament winner Michaela Hutchison to make the World Team at 53 kg/116.5 lbs. “It took a lot of hard work to get here,”
Conder said. “I want to win a medal this year. I’ve gone twice before and didn’t win a medal, so I’m excited to have
another opportunity. It’s going to mean everything to wrestle in the U.S. at the Worlds.” 2015 U.S. Open champion Erin Clodgo outlasted Challenge Tournament winner Amanda Hendey in a series that went the full three matches at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Clodgo won the decisive third bout by a
10-0 technical fall. “I’m very excited,” Clodgo said. “This is
an awesome feeling. I got a little greedy in that first match, but I learned from my mistakes and came back strong.” Men’s freestyle
Olympic gold medalist and two-time
World champion Jordan Burroughs swept a strong opponent in Kyle Dake to make his fourth World Team. Burroughs won a tough first bout 6-3
before storming out quickly in the second bout en route to a 14-4 technical fall over the four-time NCAA champion and 2013 Trials runner-up. Burroughs won a bronze medal at the
2014 Worlds after being injured in his first Continued on page 13
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