This forum is for educational purposes and the betterment of Nebraska USA Wrestling. Please adhere to the forum rules. Posts must be free of slander, profanity, and drogatory remarks. Posts deamed to counter this purpose will be removed from the forum and the sender may also be banned from the forum.
--
"Battle in the Bluffs" Feb 13th
by Dennis Miller (no login)
CONTACT:
Keith Massey – (402) 203-1610
Tim Tushla – (712) 251-7570
USA to battle Belarus
in World Freestyle wrestling meet in Council Bluffs, IA
"Battle in the Bluffs" to feature three NCAA champions
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Three former NCAA champions will lead a formidable United States team against the National Team of Belarus in the inaugural Battle in the Bluffs international dual wrestling meet on Thursday, February 13.
Former collegiate wrestling kings Bill Zadick of Iowa, Tolly Thompson of Nebraska and two-time champ Donny Pritzlaff of Wisconsin head-up a Team USA roster that also includes 2000 Olympian Charles Burton and four-time Iowa State All-American Eric Akin.
Kanesville Arena on the campus of Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs will be the site of the event, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
The Belarus national team will travel to the Midwest after competing in the prestigious Dave Schultz International tournament in Colorado Springs on Feb. 8-9.
The US contingent will be led by Mark Manning, head coach at the University of Nebraska and national freestyle coach in 2001.
"Belarus has some of the top individual wrestlers in the world, including three place-winners at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. All true wrestling fans should not miss this event," said Manning. "Belarus has a proud tradition and also turned out a World Champion in 2001. And the US team will have many national and international medallists."
Local wrestling coach Keith Massey and his Golden Eagle Wrestling Club will host the meet.
"This is an unbelievable opportunity for area wrestling fans to see best in international wrestling," said Massey, former coach of perennial high-school powerhouse Council Bluffs Lewis Central. "We hope to make this an annual event and look forward to tremendous local support to help make that happen."
Experienced US team shaping up
While two of the seven spots on the USA roster are yet to be filled, the team will feature some of the top freestyle wrestlers this country has to offer.
Zadick, a national champion for the Hawkeyes in 1996, is currently ranked number two in the country at 145.5 pounds. He is the defending US National Champion and was the 2001 World Team Trials Champion. He finished second at the World Team Trials last July and seventh in the 2001 World Championships in Iran. Zadick is originally from Great Falls MT and now lives and trains in Iowa City, IA.
At heavyweight will be Thompson, the 1995 NCAA and US Nationals Champion. He won the 2002 Dave Schultz International, Sunkist Open, NYAC Open and Pan Am titles. Thompson finished second at both the 2001 and 2002 Nationals and placed third at the World Team Trials in 2001. He is a native of Janesville, IA, and was a three-time NCAA All-American for Nebraska and is currently serves as an assistant coach at Northern Iowa.
Pritzlaff, who will wrestle at 163 pounds, won his NCAA titles in 2000 and 2001. He is the defending Dave Schultz International Champion and finished third at the 2002 World Team Trials in St. Paul, MN. Pritzlaff also finished third in the Sunkist Open and NYAC Open last year. Originally from Lyndhurst, NJ, Pritzlaff still lives and trains in Madison, WI.
Burton placed fifth in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He finished third at last year’s Dave Schultz and fourth at the US Nationals. In 2001, Burton was champion of the Kiev Grand Prix and finished third at the World Cup. He was an All-American at Boise State University, finishing third at the NCAA tournament in 1996. Burton hails from Meridian, ID and is currently an assistant at Nebraska.
Wrestling at 121 pounds will be Akin who placed second at the US Nationals, fourth at the Dave Schultz and eighth at the Kiev Grand Prix in 2002. He is originally from Kansas City, MO and was a four-time All-American for Iowa State University. He currently serves as an assistant coach at Nebraska.
Wrestling clinic on tap
Manning will also conduct a wrestling clinic prior to the dual, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Admission to the clinic is free with a paid dual ticket. Tickets for the event are $10 and will only be available at the door. All seats are general admission.