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M-H wrestling coach writes to UMM A.D. on wrestling

08/07/2003

(Note: The following was written by Spencer Yohe, Morris Area-Hancock wrestling coach, to UMM Athletic Director Mark Fohl concerning UMM’s decision to eliminate wrestling. Yohe coached in the UMM program at one time.)

Dear Mark:

Obviously I was shocked and disappointed at the decision by UMM to drop wrestling.

Have you explored all options, like letting the alumni and friends of wrestling raise donations and lend financial aid to keep the programs?

I put in six of the best years of my life at your great institution.

I wasn’t a big fan of the women’s program, but over the years I came to respect their efforts and dedication, and without a doubt, two-time World Team member Katie Downing certainly brought pride to your institution and is a “class” student-athlete-person, along with several other athletes and people who participated in men’s and women’s wrestling.

Trust me, the lack of financial contributions from your alumni wrestlers, friends of wrestling etc. will be a staggering figure in years to come. Just ask Winona State University or Bemidji State University.

Southern Colorado has admitted they made a mistake in dropping wrestling. It takes “big people” to admit mistakes.

This decision that your administration has made, hurts me a lot more than two cancer surgeries and 20 chemotherapy treatments ever did.

Please consider every option and come up with a plan in which the alumni and friends of wrestling might save the sport of wrestling at UMM.

I gave you “the best maroon and gold Cougar blood I had” for six years!.

Sincerely,

Spencer Yohe

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Community Sports: Clark County pins down wrestling tournament

Tuesday, August 12, 2003
PAUL DANZER, Columbian staff writer

At last count, Merle Crockett had coached at 13 national-level wrestling tournaments -- this year.

No doubt it will be more of the same for the head coach of the Southwest Washington Wrestling Club in 2004, but for one week he'll be able to stay home and still be in the middle of the action.

Thanks in large part to Crockett's involvement with wrestling, Battle Ground High School was selected as one of five sites that will hold the preliminary tournaments that lead to the Olympic Trials that will form the team that will represent the United States in Athens next summer.

Held over a weekend in late March of 2004, the tournament is expected to draw many Olympic hopefuls.

"We'll get guys from all across the United States coming to that tournament," Crockett said.

The Olympic Trials qualification tournament will be held in conjunction with the Pacific Northwest Cadet and Juniors Regional Championships, which will take place at Battle Ground for the fourth year in a row.

Crockett said BGHS beat out Oregon State University in its bid to host the regional qualifier.

Winning the bid for that tournament was one of several significant victories recently for local wrestling enthusiasts.

In late July, Kyle Bounds of Vancouver won his second national championship at the ASICS/Vaughan Cadet and Junior National Championships. Held in Fargo, N.D., and sanctioned by USA Wrestling, the tournament is one of the premier national events for high school age wrestlers.

Bounds, a two-time high school state champion who is entering his junior year at Columbia River, won the national Greco-Roman championship in the 145-pound weight division for wrestlers ages 14-15. Two years ago, he won the a national title for the 12-13 age division.

His attempt to bring home the title in freestyle came up just short. Bounds lost in the freestyle semifinals and wound up in third place.

"I was pretty happy with the way I wrestled," said Bounds, who is taking a break from the mat and preparing for football season. "I don't think I wrestled that well in freestyle, but I kind of toughed it out in a few matches, I guess."

Bounds never trailed on his way to the Greco-Roman championship, but in the freestyle tournament he had to overcome a 4-0 deficit with two throws in the final 10 seconds to reach the semifinals.

Melissa Simmons of Ridgefield also had a successful tournament in Fargo, finishing third at 150 pounds in the women's junior freestyle competition. She was beaten in the semifinals by friend Shawn Swartzlender of Portland, who is older than Simmons.

"In practice, she kills me," Simmons said.

Though there weren't as many participants in Fargo as there were at the national girls wrestling tournament earlier in the year, Simmons said the competition was top-notch.

"Throughout the years, it's gotten way tougher," Simmons said, noting that the girls get stronger and more technically sound as they gain experience.

Crockett said the success of local wrestlers -- including Anthony Hayes going 4-1 for Team USA at the FILA International Cadet Wrestling Tournament in France earlier this summer -- reflects a broad commitment to the sport in these parts.

Many of the Southwest Washington Wrestling Club athletes also train with the Peninsula Wrestling Club in Portland.

Improving, Crockett said, is "not just a southwest Washington process, it's a wrestling community process."

When wrestlers put their Olympic dreams to the test in Battle Ground in March, that community will have another reason to pat itself on the back.

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Fulp-Allen named All-American

By MARK FOYER, Half Moon Bay Review 7/30/03

Sara Fulp-Allen was named to the 2003 TheMat.Com/ASICS Girls' High School All-American Wrestling team for the second straight year.

Fulp-Allen, who graduated from Half Moon Bay High School earlier this year, is one of the most honored female wrestlers in the nation.

She will attend Menlo College.

Her sister Katherine earned honorable mention status. She will be a sophomore at Half Moon Bay.

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Good grip, big dream

By John Huxley
August 14, 2003

How to pick up men . . . Olympic hopeful Phillipa Katonivualiku wrestles her coach Igor Praporshchikov at a Bondi gym yesterday. Photo: Steve Christo

Thwack! After several seconds of innocuous tugging on each other's shirts, Phillipa Katonivualiku suddenly bends, twists sideways, pulls hard and brings her coach, a 97-kilogram Olympic grappler called Igor, crashing down over her hips and on to the mat.

"Spin! Spin! Spin!" he says as he lands, urging her to complete the move by re-positioning herself on top of him. "Right, do it again."

They stand. Tug, twist, crash, again. And again. And again, even though Katonivualiku has already spent more than an hour stretching, skipping, running with big men on her back and walking the length of the Hakoah Club gym in Bondi on her hands.

Every day, she trains. And, to fund her training, every day she works at two jobs: behind the counter at a Bondi pizza house and serving meals in the boardroom of a CBD accountancy firm. "I've got to do it. It's the only way I'm going to get there."

Fijian-born Katonivualiku, who became an Australian citizen this month, is determined to represent her new country at freestyle wrestling at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where the discipline is being featured at the Games for the first time.

"It's always been my dream to go to the Olympics. I didn't care what sport," she said.

Several years ago, after coming close to representing Fiji at swimming and, later, volleyball, she quit sport and spent "a long time basically just sitting around on my arse - or conserving my energy, as I now like to put it".

But when a relationship ended, Katonivualiku, 33, took up jujitsu. Eighteen months later she was world champion. At the start of this year, she started wrestling to improve her strength for jujitsu.

That's when Ukrainian-born coach Igor Praporshchikov, who wrestled for Australia at the Sydney Games, convinced her she had Olympic potential. "I said, yeah, I'm there, 100 per cent." She has since become national champion in the 72-kilogram, top-weight, division.

"She's strong, agile and most important has the mindset, the will to win," said John Saul, the president of the Australian Wrestling Union (AWU).

There are a couple of snags, though.

First, cash. Katonivualiku is struggling to raise the cash to compete in next month's world championships in New York, an Olympic qualifying event.

Her relatives are baking cakes to raise funds. "I admit it, I'm desperate for sponsorship."

The second snag is other women. Or, rather, the lack of them. Several women have been encouraged by the Australian Wrestling Union to switch from other self-defence sports. But none are in Katonivualiku's weight division.

"It means, yes, I train with the boys. It's no bother. And, anyway, I had to do it in jujitsu. They're no problem."

Though the training looks painful, she says that provided the technique is correct, injuries are rare. So why does she wear thick knee-pads? She laughs. "Because the mats burn. I want to go on looking good in a dress."

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Miranda dominates women's wrestling

By Eric Fontes 8/6/03

After spending the last eight years getting thrown to the mat and losing numerous wrestling matches to male opponents much stronger then her, Patricia Miranda considers herself to be one of the luckiest people in the world. And it's not because she survived wrestling on the men's team at Saratoga High School and Stanford University but because her experiences will help her as she pioneers her way to the top of women's wrestling.
Miranda will not have to wrestle any men when she travels to Santo Domingo for the Pan American Games Aug. 5 and 6. Instead, she joins Tina George and Toccara Montgomery as the female wrestlers who will represent the United States in the first-ever women's freestyle wrestling competition at the Pan American Games.

Miranda—a silver medalist in the 2000 women's wrestling world championships—has her sights set on continuing her dominance in the growing sport of women's wrestling at the Pan American Games but is ultimately looking toward the 2004 summer Olympics. It is there in Athens, Greece that women's freestyle wrestling will make its debut at the Olympics.

"The opportunity to compete in the Olympics is something I treasure," said Miranda in a conference call. "I'm looking forward to saying that the United States received the first-ever gold medal in women's wrestling."

Miranda's desire to compete in the Olympics has even caused her to ask for a two-year deferment after getting accepted into Yale Law School.

Though the decision may come as a surprise to some, Miranda's actions have been anything but predictable since her childhood.

In eighth grade, Miranda chose to join the boys wrestling team because there was no girls team. She soon took the initiative to call Saratoga High School's wrestling coach, Lloyd Asato, and ask if she could train with the boys team the summer before her freshman year.

After earning Asato's approval, Miranda then had to receive her father's permission to wrestle. It took awhile to convince him that wrestling would not detract from her academics, but the two eventually arrived at an understanding.

"I didn't have a positive reaction to it at first," said Jose Miranda. "So we made a deal—she can wrestle if she keeps an 'A' average. And she has kept that bargain at Saratoga and Stanford."

Miranda quickly gained respect while at Saratoga and captained the team her junior and senior years. Meanwhile, her father was beginning to come around to the idea of letting his teenage daughter wrestle boys.

"I wanted her to date a boy rather than get beaten by one," Jose said. "But it is an advantage in any sport when you practice with someone much better than you."

This was particularly the case when Miranda joined the Stanford men's team her freshman year. At 5 feet and less than 120 pounds, Miranda was much smaller than her male counterparts. Nevertheless, being the weakest competitor helped strengthen Miranda's physical and mental strength.

"I learned impeccable positioning," said Miranda. "You must have your back straight, head up and neck straight because otherwise a big guy is going to squash you. I also developed an emotional endurance because I'd spend three hours getting killed in practice."

"She has a good attitude toward defeat," Jose said. "She'll bend in the wind and then try another way. That's her greatest strength."

Miranda spent several years getting drilled in practice only to see no playing time in matches, but she stuck with it and finally received her opportunity to wrestle as a 125-pounder her senior year. She went 1-7 in the league season and was never pinned in any of her defeats.

"It took me four years before I won my first match," Miranda said. "To win was very character-defining."

It wasn't until after her senior season at Stanford that Miranda began to explore what level she could take her wrestling career to next.

"My goals were always smaller," said Miranda. "I didn't set my sights on winning the Olympics. I always tried to concentrate on the next match and think about how to score the next take-down."

But with the right timing of women's wrestling just getting introduced to the Olympics and being in the right place coming out of Stanford with a bundle of experience, Miranda knew she lucked out with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity awaiting her.

And though Jose would love for his daughter to continue her academic studies, he knows the time is right to let her put aside school for her chance to go to Athens.

"There are hundreds of lawyers that come from Yale every year," said Jose. "But there aren't many people who can be Olympic athletes."

It's quite a contrast from the wary father who didn't want his daughter to join the boys wrestling team at Saratoga. But perhaps it shows how far Miranda and her father have progressed over the past eight years.

"It took good timing and my father being supportive to get here," Miranda said. "It's a struggle not to reflect too much because that brings complacency, but I know I am one of the luckiest people walking around on this earth."

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The 25 reasons you should come to the USA Wrestling World Team Trials in Indianapolis June 20-22

by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling and contributions from Bill Benner, Jeffrey Weitekamp and Justin Hirnisey, Indiana Sports Corporation

1. Wrestling is a cool sport, and Indianapolis is a great sports town

The oldest sport known to mankind, is now practiced by womankind. Witness strength, speed, skill, strategy and one of the most physically demanding sports. A number of past World Champions, including Dremiel Byers, Rulon Gardner and Kristie Marano will be in the competition. Wrestling will be displayed in Indianapolis, a city that has proven its ability to host great amateur sports competitions.

2. Indiana University Coaching Staff Members to Compete in Trials

Current I.U. assistant wrestling coaches Mike Mena and Reggie Wright are set compete at the World Team Trials. Former I.U. assistant and former Olympian Charles Burton has also qualified. At 55 kg, Mena is ranked No. 3, and finished fourth in his weight class at Nationals after being seeded fourth. Wright is ranked fourth at 66 kg. At nationals, Wright was seeded sixth and came on in the consolation round to beat the 12th seed, Tony Davis, before losing to former Olympian Lincoln McIlavy in the third-place match. Burton is ranked third in 84 kg freestyle. He finished fifth in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. At the World Team Trials, Burton could face wrestling superstar Cael Sanderson, who is ranked No. 1 at 84 kg.

3. Indiana native Katie Downing looking for victory at home

There are a number of athletes in the World Team Trials with ties to the state of Indiana. The only Indiana native entering the World Team Trials with a 2003 U.S. Nationals title and a No. 1 ranking in her weight class is Katie Downing, who hails from Pendleton, Ind. Downing moved on from Pendleton Heights High to the Univ. of Minnesota-Morris, where she became the greatest wrestler ever from their women's wrestling program. Now graduated, Downing is among the select stars in the U.S. Olympic Training Center women's program in Colorado Springs, Colo. In Las Vegas this year, she won her first U.S. Senior Nationals title at 147.5 pounds. Can she retain her No. 1 position with a win in Indianapolis, in front of her hometown family and friends?

4. Former, Current Purdue Wrestlers and Coaching Staff Well Represented at World Team Trials

The 55 kg division could be stacked with wrestlers with Indiana ties. In addition to Mike Mena, former Purdue All-American Tim Dernlan (No. 6) and 2002 NCAA national finalist from Purdue Chris Fleeger (No. 10) could all compete in Indianapolis. Purdue is also represented on the Local Organizing Committee (LOC). Assistant coach Tom Erikson is Vice Chair of the Marketing Committee for the 2003 USA Wrestling World Team Trials/2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wrestling. In his volunteer position on the LOC for the World and Olympic Team Trials, Erikson oversees the marketing, promotion and corporate sponsorship sales and fulfillment for the two events. Erikson just concluded is fifth year at Purdue and is most known in the wrestling community as Olympic champion Bruce Baumgartner's chief rival in freestyle heavyweight.

5. Gary Wirt Graduate Woods to Compete in Indy

Ranked sixth at 66 kg is William Wirt High School (Gary, Ind.) graduate Steve Woods. Wrestling for U.S. Air Force in Colorado Springs, the 29-year-old Woods finished sixth at this year's national championships and sixth at the 2002 World Team Trials.

6. The spoils for the victors include spots on the U.S. World Team and U.S. Pan American Games Team

The champions of the World Team Trials qualify for the U.S. teams at the 2003 World Championships (men and women freestyle in New York, Sept. 12-14 and Greco-Roman in Cretiel, France, Oct. 2-5). Also, all seven men champions in both styles and four of the women champions qualify for the U.S. team at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in August. This is the most important domestic event in wrestling every year for the athletes.

7. The winners get more money, too

The USA Wrestling national team program is based on performance, and the most important event to determine athlete funding is the World Team Trials. The top three placewinners in each weight class qualify for Team USA in their style, and have access to USA Wrestling's national team financial support. Winning this event helps the athletes pay some bills on the way to chasing their dreams.

8. Comeback No. 1: Can Rulon rebound from his loss in Las Vegas?

You know the Rulon Gardner story. Olympic gold medal in Sydney, defeating the unbeaten Russian Kareline. World title in 2001, becoming the only U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to win two golds. His February 2002 night in the Wyoming mountains, where he escaped death, suffered frostbite and lost a toe. Rulon is back on the mats, and placed third at the 2003 U.S. Nationals, losing by upset in the semifinals to Corey Farkas. Will Gardner rebound, avenge his loss to Farkas, then get his long-awaited shot at 2002 World Champion Dremiel Byers?

9. Will Cael Sanderson finally get to wrestle in a World Championships?

You also know the Cael Sanderson story. College kid at Iowa State, never lost a match, winning four NCAA titles and going 159-0. Things have not been as simple in international freestyle wrestling. In 2001, Sanderson made the U.S. World team, but after the World Championships in New York were postponed because of the Sept. 11 attacks, it was moved to Bulgaria during the college season. Sanderson chose not to attend. In 2002, Sanderson made the team again, but along with all of his teammates, were not able to compete at the World Championships in Tehran, Iran. The U.S. government notified USA Wrestling that it had received a credible threat to the safety of the team if it attended, and the U.S. team did not compete for safety reasons. Will 2003 be the year Sanderson finally gets the chance to compete at a World meet? He'll need to win the World Team Trials first.

10. Women's Wrestling is the only new Olympic sport in the 2004 Athens Games

The World Team Trials displays all three Olympic styles of wrestling, including women's freestyle wrestling. In the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, women's wrestling will be included for the first time. It is the only new sport on the Summer Olympic program in 2004. The United States is a world power in women's wrestling, and the World Team Trials includes all of the best women wrestlers in the nation. How about witnessing the best women wrestlers in action? Now is your chance.

11. Comeback No. 2 - Is Lincoln McIlravy ready to reclaim his spot at the top?

Lincoln McIlravy won a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, falling short of his goal of a gold medal. He retired, and accepted the job as USA Wrestling's Freestyle Resident Coach. For over a year, McIlravy coached many of America's best freestyle athletes. However, he realized he was not yet done competing, still with a dream to win Olympic gold. McIlravy gave up his job and returned as an athlete. In his first major event back, the U.S. Nationals, he placed third, losing a bout to a University of Iowa teammate, Bill Zadick. Sitting on top of the division is America's hottest freestyle wrestler, Chris Bono, a man that McIlravy has never lost to in a career-full of battles. Will McIlravy fare better at the World Team Trials? Can he beat Zadick if they wrestle again? Will he get a chance to test Bono in the championship series? Is Mac back?

12. There truly is a difference between freestyle and Greco-Roman

For much of last year, the International Olympic Committee, in its efforts to trim the Olympic Games, considered eliminating one of the wrestling styles. One of the reasons for this unpopular idea was that people couldn't tell the difference between the two styles. Well, in Greco-Roman you cannot use or touch the legs in the execution of technique. In freestyle, an athlete can use his or her entire body, including the legs. The IOC Executive Committee realized that the styles are different, and decided to retain both unique styles in the Olympics. Now you can see both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the same time, and decide for yourself if there are differences between them. (Our bet is that you can see the difference rather quickly).

13. The Gold Medal Club will be the place to be

All-Session tickets are still available for the prestigious Gold Medal Club. Club members get great benefits, including special opportunities with DAN GABLE, the National Team Coaches, and other former wrestling greats. The only place to get autographs and hang out with these former champions will be in the Gold Medal Club Lounge. Other benefits of your All-Session Gold Medal Club ticket include reserved seats, free program, free downtown Indianapolis parking, and possibly the best benefit of them all...FIRST chance at the best seats to next year's 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Indianapolis next May 20-22.

14. Alaska has a new hero, Tela O'Donnell

In case you didn't know, wrestling is practiced everywhere in America. Even Alaska. And in the women's division, the new U.S. Nationals champion at 121 pounds is Tela O'Donnell, a native of Homer, Alaska. Tela beat two World silver medalists to win in Las Vegas, Tina George and Stephanie Murata. One of the U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athletes for women, O'Donnell has improved into a top Olympic hopeful. (By the way, one of the hotbeds for women's wrestling is Hawaii, another state sometimes overlooked by mainlanders. That in itself is another interesting story).

15. Military athletes on a mission

America has come to better appreciate its service men and women in the Armed Forces, especially during recent current events. You may also know that the Armed Forces have developed top Olympic-caliber athletes in many sports, including wrestling. Coming into the World Team Trials, two of the 2003 U.S. Nationals Greco-Roman champions are from the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, Dremiel Byers at 264.5 pounds and Keith Sieracki at 163 pounds. There are athletes in the World Team Trials from four branches of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines). In fact, 36 athletes in the field are currently in the U.S. military, plus a few who are former members of the Armed Forces. Don't forget to salute.

16. Major women's rivalry, Montgomery vs. Lang

You may have heard of Toccara Montgomery. She is the young wrestler from Ohio who won a World silver medal in 2001 and was selected as the world's best female wrestler that year. She is now embroiled in an intense new rivalry against high school superstar Samantha Lang of Oregon. They have met four times since January, earning a 2-2 split in their series. Montgomery dominated Lang by technical fall in the U.S. Nationals gold-medal finals, but Lang is preparing for another shot at the World Team Trials. This rivalry could continue right through the 2004 Olympic Trials and beyond.

17. Is this the year Brandon Paulson gets his gold?

You may remember Brandon Paulson from the 1996 Olympic Games. He was the college student from Minnesota who surprised the world by winning an Olympic silver medal in Greco-Roman. Well, Paulson fell just short in his bid for the 2000 Olympic Games, and he considered leaving the sport. However, Paulson came back after a year away and has focused on winning that gold medal. He won a World silver medal in 2001. This fall, he beat the reigning World Champion in a match. Paulson is experienced, talented and motivated. Is 2003 the year he brings home the gold?

18. What about Joe Williams? Will he climb to gold, too?

Joe Williams was named the winner of USA Wrestling's John Smith Award, as the nation's top freestyle wrestler, for the 2001 and 2002 seasons. No other wrestler has won the John Smith Award two times. Williams won a World bronze medal in 2001, and has captured four straight World Cup gold medals. Williams enters the World Team Trials as the No. 1 man at 163 pounds, and hopes to win another World Team berth. Many believe Williams is America's top freestyle gold medal hopeful. But he must win in Indianapolis to get his chance again. (Also, as a native of the Chicago area, Williams should have many local fans supporting him in Indy).

19. Get Your 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Tickets

Everyone who attends the 2003 USA Wrestling World Team Trials in Indianapolis will receive FIRST CHANCE at seats to the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials! Stop by the 2004 Olympic Trials booth for your ticket application during the event.

20. Comeback No. 3: Is Lindland trying for another Olympic run?

You may remember Matt Lindland. He won a silver medal at 167.5 pounds in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Leading up to the Olympics, his name was in the news quite often due to a lawsuit concerning a spot on the U.S. team. In 2001, Lindland jumped up to 187.5 pounds and won a World silver medal, a great accomplishment. Since then, Lindland has become a star in mixed-martial arts, competing for prize money in Ultimate Fighting Championships events. He came back to Greco-Roman wrestling in May this year, placing second at the U.S. Nationals to his long-time training partner and friend Brad Vering. It was one of those pupil beats teacher stories. Is Lindland back in Greco-Roman for real, and will he try to make the 2003 World Team and the 2004 Olympic Team?

21. From Cuba with dreams of Olympic glory for the USA

In 1993, a young Cuban wrestler named Jesus Wilson placed a strong sixth at the World Freestyle Championships in Toronto, Canada, and had a memorable quarterfinal match with American star Terry Brands. A year later, Wilson defected to the United States, and began the journey towards U.S. citizenship. During this time period, Wilson attended NCAA Division III Upper Iowa University and won college national titles in wrestling. He continued his freestyle training with the respected Minnesota Storm club. Now a U.S. citizen, Wilson climbed to a No. 2 national ranking at 60 kg/132 lbs., behind veteran star Eric Guerrero. This year, Wilson was second to Guerrero at the U.S. Nationals. It will be his goal to make his first U.S. World Team with a win in Indianapolis in June, and his first U.S. Olympic team with a victory at the Olympic Team Trials in Indianapolis next May. Can Wilson make it to the top of his weight in the United States, his new home?

22. Can Lowney recapture the magic of Sydney?

One of the most exciting developments at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games was the performance of 21-year-old Garrett Lowney, who won a bronze medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at 213.75 pounds. Lowney defeated a five-time World Champion from Russia (Gogui Koguachvili) early in the event, and battled his way through a tough field to win his medal. Lowney is a native of Wisconsin, who wrestles at the Univerisity of Minnesota. Since Sydney, Lowney has continued to dominate his weight division in the United States. However, his success on the world level has been difficult to maintain. He has spent much of his time concentrating on college wrestling for the Minnesota Gophers, rather than the specialized Greco-Roman style. In 2001, when the World Championships in New York were moved after the 9/11 attacks, he chose not to compete in Greece due to conflict with his college season. In 2002, Lowney went to the World meet, but was unable to place in his weight. With his college career now over, Lowney is focused on returning to World and Olympic prominence in Greco-Roman. Can he return to the medal stand once again?

23. Indianapolis has so much to offer!

Downtown restaurants, shopping, and fun. See the NCAA's Hall of Champions...just a short walk from the Indiana Convention Center and other downtown attractions including the Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis Zoo, IMAX Theatre and more. Hotel rates are cheap too and conveniently located near Indianapolis International Airport. Book your hotel today at the Adam’s Mark Indianapolis Airport or Courtyard by Marriott Airport through the Wrestling Housing Bureau to secure the lowest rates. The deadline to secure these rates is Wednesday, June 4.

24. High school girls on their way up the ladder

This year, there are no high school athletes in the men's divisions at the World Team Trials. However, the women's field includes a number of high school stars, all seeking glory on the Senior level. Samantha Lang of Oregon, who was second at the U.S. Nationals in 2003, and Brandy Rosenbrock of Michigan, who was second at last year's World Team Trials, are the most prominent high school wrestlers in the women's division. Others include Debbi Sakai of Hawaii, Othella Lucas of California, Chelynne Pringle of Minnesota, Ali Bernard of Minnesota, Heather Martin of Ohio and Nickia Jensen of Minnesota. This is the new generation trying to break through today.

25. Celebrity Seminars held every day...FREE with ticket purchase

Get the latest on the hot topics in wrestling every day between sessions in the Indiana Convention Center. Admission to these seminars is free with ticket purchase. Current topics like healthy weight management, college preparation, and motivational techniques.