Air Force Wrestlers Head to ASICS University Nationals
4/23/2009 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
April 23, 2009
USAFA, Colo. - Twelve Air Force wrestlers will compete this weekend, April 24-26 at the ASICS University Nationals, being held in Akron, Ohio. The Greco-Roman competition will take place on Friday, while the men's freestyle is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. All 12 Falcons will compete in both styles. Finalists in the seven Olympic Weight Classes at this weekend's event will qualify for the 2009 World Team Trials, being held May 30-31 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Traveling to Akron this weekend for the Falcons will be juniors Stephen Larson, Justin Shadrix, Samuel Sheppard and Joshua Smith, sophomores Brett Boyce, Derek Gillespie, Kazden Ikehara, Joseph Stafford, Darren Stowe and Matt Torrence, and freshmen Bobby Gulla and Tyler Untrauer.
The Falcons have already had some strong spring compeition. A few weeks ago, 11 Air Force wrestlers competed at the FILA Junior Nationals in Las Vegas, Nev. Four Falcons earned All-America honors, with Gillespie leading the way, finishing fifth in freestyle at 63 kg. Freshman Wesley Stowe took seventh place in the Greco-Roman style at 79 kg, while sophomore Neil Delaney (freestyle) and Ikehara (Greco-Roman) each placed eighth at 96 kg. All four have qualified for the FILA Junior World Team Trials May 22-23 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
