Virginia's Josh Etu to Compete for United States at World University Championships in Tokyo

Story Links

Oct. 27, 2000

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A team of top college-age international wrestling stars, which includes University of Virginia wrestler Josh Etu (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury), will represent the United States at the 2000 World University Wrestling Championships on Nov. 2-8 in Tokyo, Japan.

The U.S. team features a number of current or former college wrestling stars, competing in the two international styles of wrestling, freestyle and Greco-Roman. Many of these athletes are expected to challenge for future U.S. World and Olympic wrestling team.

The teams will be coached by members of the USA Wrestling’s National Coaching Staff in each style. The freestyle athletes will be coached by Freestyle Developmental Coach Mike Duroe and Freestyle Resident Coach Kevin Jackson. The Greco-Roman athletes will be coached by Greco-Roman Developmental Coach Ike Anderson and Greco-Roman Resident Coach Anatoly Petrosyan. All four work full-time at USA Wrestling’s national headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo.

To participate, an athlete must be 17-28 years old, must be a current college student, or be graduated from a university within a year of the competition.

The U.S. team was selected based upon performance on the national level, with National Team ranking, Olympic and Regional Trials and Resident athlete participation the top criteria. In addition, performance at USA Wrestling age-group national events was also part of the selection process.

The U.S. team is talented in both styles, with a number of athletes with major international and national achievements.

Two members of the U.S. freestyle team are members of the 2000-2001 Freestyle National Team, with No. 3 national rankings: Teague Moore (Pittsburgh, Pa./Sunkist Kids) at 119 pounds and Eric Larkin (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 138.75 pounds.

Three other team members hold No. 4 national rankings on the Senior level: Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 127.75 pounds, Byron Tucker (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 167.5 pounds and Chad Lamer (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 213.75 pounds. Abas is wrestling up one weight class from his normal 119 pounds. The other two team members were Olympic Trials qualifiers: Casey Cunningham (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 152 pounds and Cael Sanderson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 187.25 pounds.

Team members currently competing on the college level are Abas (Fresno State), Larkin (Arizona State) and Sanderson (Iowa State). Team members who are post graduates are Moore (Oklahoma State), Cunningham (Central Michigan), Tucker (Oklahoma) and Lamer (South Dakota).

Two members of the U.S. Greco-Roman team are members of the 2000-2001 Greco-Roman National Team, holding down No. 3 national rankings: Darnell Lollis (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 127.75 pounds and Chael Sonnen (Eugene, Ore./Dave Schultz WC) at 187.25 pounds.

Another team member, Joshua Hall (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), is ranked No. 4 nationally at 213.75 pounds. Two other team members were Olympic Trials qualifiers: Carl Fronhofer (Pittsburgh, Pa./PWC) at 167.5 pounds and Josh Etu (Charlottesville, Va./ATWA) at 286 pounds. Other team members are Nathan Piasecki (Marquette, Mich.) at 119 pounds, Joe Warren (Colorado Springs, Colo./Michigan WC) at 138.75 pounds and Cory Posey (E. Lansing, Mich./New York AC) at 152 pounds.

Currently competing on the college level are Posey (Michigan State), Fronhofer (Pittsburgh), Sonnen (Oregon) and Etu (Virginia). Past college stars include Warren (Michigan). Piasecki attends the U.S. Olympic Education Center Greco-Roman program at the Univ. of Northern Michigan, while Lollis is a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete.

The competition will be held at the Sports Hall at the National Olympic Memorial Youth Center in Tokyo. Organizers expect a field of 20 or more teams, including world powerhouses such as Russia, Iran, Ukraine, Turkey, Belarus, Mongolia and others.

WORLD UNIVERSITY WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPSat Tokyo, Japan, November 2-8

U.S. Freestyle Team54 kg/119 lbs. - Teague Moore, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Sunkist Kids)58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Eric Larkin, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)69 kg/152 lbs. - Casey Cunningham, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Byron Tucker, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids)85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Cael Sanderson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Chad Lamer, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)130 kg/286 lbs. - no entryCoaches - Freestyle Developmental Coach Mike Duroe, Colorado Springs, Colo. and Freestyle Resident Coach Kevin Jackson, Colorado Springs, Colo.

U.S. Greco-Roman Team54 kg/119 lbs. - Nathan Piasecki, Marquette, Mich. (USOEC)58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Darnell Lollis, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Joe Warren, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Michigan WC)69 kg/152 lbs. - Cory Posey, E. Lansing, Mich. (New York AC)76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Carl Fronhofer, Pittsburgh, Pa. (PWC)85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Chael Sonnen, Eugene, Ore. (Dave Schultz WC)97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Joshua Hall, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)130 kg/286 lbs. - Josh Etu, Charlottesville, Va. (ATWA)Coaches - Greco-Roman Developmental Coach Ike Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo. and Greco-Roman Resident Coach Anatoly Petrosyan, Colorado Springs, Colo.

WORLD UNIVERSITY WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS COMPETITION SCHEDULE

Friday, November 39:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon - Freestyle competition3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Opening Ceremony4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - Freestyle competition

Saturday, November 49:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon – Freestyle competition3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Freestyle competition

Sunday, November 59:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon – Freestyle competition3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Freestyle bronze medal matches4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Freestyle gold medal matches and medal ceremony

Monday, November 69:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon – Greco-Roman competition3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Greco-Roman ccompetition

Tuesday, November 79:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon – Greco-Roman competition3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Greco-Roman competition

Wednesday, November 89:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon – Greco-Roman competition3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Greco-Roman bronze medal matches4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Greco-Roman gold medal matches and medal ceremony