2008 USA Olympic Wrestling Team
July 2008
Beijing, China
See TeamUSA website
Feature at International Herald Tribune
Men's freestyle
55 kg/121 lbs.
Henry Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo.
(Sunkist Kids)
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from SI.com and TheMat.com
Cejudo was born in south central Los Angeles and grew up in Phoenix. He won a pair of high school state titles in Arizona before he and his brother moved to Colorado Springs in 2004 to train at the Olympic Training Center. Did not wrestle college. Went from High School to International.
Resident athlete at the Olympic Training Center since autumn 2004. 21 years old for the 2008 olympics.
"...in November 2005, while still a senior in high school, Coronado High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, he won the New York Athletic Club Holiday International after defeating '04 NCAA champion Jason Powell of Nebraska in the quarterfinals and dominating junior world champion Besik Kudukhov of Russia in the semis. Five months later (April 2006) Cejudo became the first high schooler to win a senior national championship since USA Wrestling became the sport's governing body in 1983. "He is the future of wrestling," says U.S. freestyle head coach Kevin Jackson. "He's going to win a lot of world and Olympic titles for us and for himself. We expect him to wrestle until 2012 or 2016 and dominate the world."
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Doug Schwab, Iowa City, Iowa
(Gator WC)
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from Hawkeyesports.com
Schwab was a three-time all-American and Big Ten champion for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 1998-2001. The Osage, IA, native won the 1999 NCAA title at 141 pounds and finished his collegiate career with 130 wins, which ranks 10th-best in school history.
74 kg/163 lbs.
Ben Askren, Columbia, Mo.
(Sunkist Kids)
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from Mizzou.com
Askren became Missouri's first National Champion after capturing the 174 pound title as a junior in 2006. The Tiger grappler repeated the feat as a senior in 2007. Qualified for the Olympics with a back-to-back wins by decision over former Oklahoma State grappler Tyrone Lewis
84 kg/185 lbs.
Andy Hrovat, Ann Arbor, Mich.
(New York AC)
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from Metropolitan Wrestling Association
Former Lakewood St. Edwards wrestler, West Virgina connections here and here and here and here
3x NCAA All-American, his highest NCAA finish was fourth place. Wrestling for the University of Michigan, he finished a disappointing 7th place at NCAAs his senior year.
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla.
(Gator WC)
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from NewsOK.com
2001 NCAA runner-up at Oklahoma State; 2008 recipient of the John Smith Award as USA Wrestling Freestyle Wrestler of the Year; Bronze medalist at 2007 World Championships; Fourth at 2004 Athens Olympic Games; Fifth at 2003 World Championships; Four-time U.S. World Team member (2003, 2005-07).
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Steve Mocco, Colorado Springs, Colo.
(New York AC)
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from Wikkipedia and TheMat.com
He won four NJ prep state titles and four prep national titles, three of which were at Blair Academy in Blairstown Township, New Jersey. Three-time U.S. World Team Trials runner-up (2005-07).
Three-time U.S. Nationals runner-up (2004-06). Third in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
2003 NCAA champion at the Univ. of Iowa, 2005 NCAA champion at Oklahoma State Univ.
Nominated for 2004 ESPY Award for “Best Male College Athlete.”
Fourth in 2001 Junior World Championships.
Olympic Coaches - Kevin Jackson (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Kerry McCoy (College Park, Md.), Lee Kemp (Alpharetta, Ga.)
Olympic Team Leader - Steve Silver (Forney, Texas)
Greco-Roman
55 kg/121 lbs.
Spenser Mango, St. Louis, Mo.
(Gator WC)
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66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Jake Deitchler, Ramsey, Minn.
(Minnesota Storm)
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from USA Today
18 years old. Graduated from Anoka High School in Anoka, Minnesota in 2008. The youngest United States Olympic wrestler since Mike Farina in 1976.
74 kg/163 lbs.
T.C. Dantzler, Colorado Springs, Colo.
(New York AC)
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from TheMat.com
37 years old. Attended Northern Illinois Univ., Four-time NCAA Tournament qualifier (1990-93). Fifth in 2006 World Championships.
Five-time U.S. World Team member (2002-03, 2005-07).
Two-time U.S. Nationals champion (2006-07).
Three-time U.S. Nationals runner-up (1998, 2001-02).
Third in 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
84 kg/185 lbs.
Brad Vering, Colorado Springs, Colo.
(New York AC)
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from AUEagles.com
Graduated from the University of Nebraska in 2001. NCAA Championship at 197 lbs. in 2000 and three All-America honors. In 2004, Vering represented the United States as a member of the Olympic wrestling team at the Athens Olympics, going 1-1 in Olympic competition.
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Adam Wheeler, Colorado Springs, Colo.
(Gator WC)
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From Adamwheelerwrestling.com
2008 USA Olympic Team Member.
8x USA Wrestling All American.
2005/2006 National Team Member.
2006 Pan American Silver Medalist.
2004 University World Team Member.
2004/2008 World Cup Team Member.
3x Armed Forces Medalist.
5x All Navy Team Member.
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo.
(U.S. Army)
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from the New York Times
Age 33. Out of high school in North Carolina, Byers went to North Carolina A&T on a football scholarship. He left A&T and joined the Army at 19. Began wrestling while in the Army. Byers beat Rulon Gardner in the 2004 national championships, only to lose in the Olympic trials.
Olympic Coaches - Steve Fraser (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Rich Estrella (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Jay Antonelli (Chesapeake, Va.)
Team Leader - John Bardis (Alpharetta, Ga.)
Women's freestyle
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo.
(Sunkist Kids)
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from /archives/clarissachun.com
26-year-old from Kapolei, Hawaii.
State title in 1998 and 1999 in Hawaii.
Partial scholarship from Missouri Valley College, three years, won the University Nationals in 2001, 2003 and 2004 in addition to another gold at the 2006 U.S. Senior Nationals.
Lost in the finals of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
55 kg/121 lbs.
Marcie Van Dusen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
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from TeamUSA and PE.com
2007 World Team member. Injured prior to 2004 Olympic team trials.
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Randi Miller, Colorado Springs, Colo.
(Gator WC)
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from TheMat.com and Randimiller.us
Miller was named Outstanding Wrestler in women’s freestyle after winning the Dave Schultz Memorial International in 2007 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Defeated past World champion Alena Kartashova of Russia 0-1, 2-0, 2-0 in the semifinals of the Schultz tournament in 2007.
From Arlington, Texas, placed second behind Katie Downing at the 2006 U.S. Nationals at 67 kg.
72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn.
(Gator WC)
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from Twincities.com
Wrestled for New Ulm High School boys team. Has one year of eligibility remaining at University of Regina in Canada, where she has won three national college titles. Won junior world titles in 2003 and 2005 and placed third in 2006.
Olympic Coaches - Terry Steiner (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Tadaaki Hatta (Elyria, Ohio)
Team Leader - Stan Zeamer (Manheim, Pa.)
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