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U.S. National Wrestling Championships set for Las Vegas April 9-11

The 2009 Las Vegas/ASICS United States National Wrestling Championships will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev., April 9-11. The nation’s best wrestlers in the three Olympic styles of the sport will compete for national titles and all-American honors.

Numerous Olympians, World medalists and past national champions are expected in the competition.

Members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team expected to compete this year include:

• Spenser Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (Gator WC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. in Greco-Roman
• Jake Deitchler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm) at 74 kg/163 lbs. in Greco-Roman
• T.C. Dantzler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. in Greco-Roman
• Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in Greco-Roman
• Mike Zadick, Solon, Iowa (Gator WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs. in men’s freestyle
• Doug Schwab, Iowa City, Iowa (Gator WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. in men’s freestyle
• Andy Hrovat, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. in men’s freestyle
• Steve Mocco, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in men’s freestyle
• Clarissa Chun Tokyo, Japan (Sunkist Kids) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. in women’s freestyle
• Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Gator WC) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. in women’s freestyle

Past World champions who could be in the field include Chun (a 2008 World Champion), Byers (a 2002 World Champion) and 2006 World Greco-Roman champion Joe Warren (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC).

The top seven placewinners in each weight class in all three styles will earn a spot in the 2009 U.S. World Team Trials, which is the final qualifying event for the 2009 U.S. World Teams.

The schedule has not changed from last year. There will be three different nights of gold-medal finals. The women’s freestyle tournament finals will be held on Thursday, April 9. The Greco-Roman finals are set for Friday, April 10. The men’s freestyle finals are set for Saturday, April 11.

Held alongside the U.S. Nationals this year will be the FILA Junior National Championships, the Veterans National Championships and the Southeast Junior Regionals. As in previous years, this will be an exciting week of wrestling action on many levels.

All participants in the events in Las Vegas must pre-register online in order to participate. The deadline for online registration is Tuesday, April 7 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time. There is no on-site or late registration, and no exceptions. To register online, visit: http://www.lvsports.org/wrestling.entry_form.main.php

2008 U.S. Nationals Champions

Greco-Roman champions 121 – Spenser Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (Gator WC); 132 – Jim Gruenwald, Marquette, Mich. (Sunkist Kids); 145.5 – Mark Rial, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC); 163 – T.C. Dantzler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC); 185 – Brad Ahearn, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army); 211.5 – Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC); 264.5 – Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)

Freestyle champions 121 – Matt Azevedo, Pismo Beach, Calif. (Sunkist Kids); 132 – Shawn Bunch, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC); 145.5 – Doug Schwab, Iowa City, Iowa (Gator WC); 163 – Ben Askren, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids); 185 – Mo Lawal, Temecula, Calif. (Sunkist Kids); 211.5 – Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC); 264.5 – Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)

Women Freestyle champions 105.5 – Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids); 112.25 – Jessica Medina, Pomona, Calif. (New York AC); 121 – Marcie Van Dusen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids); 130 – Erin Tomeo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids); 138.75 – Randi Miller, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)’ 147.5 – Stefenie Shaw, Waterford, Conn. (New York AC); 158.5 – Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Gator WC)