Akron, Ohio Ivan Muller took home All-American honors as The Citadel Wrestling Program was represented by five of its grapplers at the University Nationals, held this past weekend in Akron, Ohio at the Louis and Freda Stile Athletic Field House at the University of Akron. Anthony Easter and Keith Koziel wrestled for The Citadel, while Justin Sparrow, J.C. Oddo and Ivan Muller wrestled on behalf of The Citadel Old Timers Wrestling Club. The tournament hosts grapplers from around the nation competing in Olympic style wrestling.
University Nationals is being held in Akron, Ohio for the second consecutive year. The tournament has only had two other host sights, Penn State in 1990 and 1991, and Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. from 1992-2006. Participants compete in Olympic style wrestling, which consists of both freestyle and Greco-Roman. Hosting university age athletes that have already graduated high school (ages 18-24) draws some of the best competition from collegiate and military teams in the nation. A birth in the finals of University Nationals qualifies the wrestlers to compete in the U.S. Senior World Team Trials.
Bulldog Junior Anthony Easter wrestled at the 55Kg (121lbs) weight class in the freestyle competition, where he went 2-2 on the day. Easter defeated his second opponent of the day in two periods, recording a 7-0 and 6-0 technical fall in the first and second periods respectively.
Also wrestling in the freestyle competition was freshman Justin Sparrow. The Bulldog went 2-2 wrestling at the 74 Kg (163lbs) weight class, pinning his first opponent in the first period at the 0:35 mark.
The third Citadel grappler to wrestler in the freestyle competition was freshman J.C. Oddo at the 84 Kg (185lbs) weight class. Oddo went 1-2, following Sparrows lead by recording a pin against his first opponent. His fall came at the 0:35 mark of the third period after going 2-2 in the first and notching a 6-0 technical fall in the second.
Wrestling at the 74 Kg (163 lbs) weight class in the Greco competition for The Citadel was Keith Koziel. The freshman went 2-2 in the tournament, recording both of his wins in the first two periods of the match.
Fellow Greco wrestling freshman, Ivan Muller took home an eighth place finish from the tournament. The 120 Kg (264.5 lbs) grappler went 2-3, narrowly being defeated in the seventh place match, 1-1 and 3-0.
The Citadel Wrestling Program will host their Inaugural Golf Tournament this Friday, April 18, 2008 at the Legend Oaks Golf Club. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit The Citadel Wrestling Program. For more information or to register for the tournament, contact Jim Oddo at 864-420-7054. Not able to play, but still want to be a part of the fun filled day? Sponsorships are welcome and appreciated.
NOTE: Olympic style wrestling varies from the traditional collegiate or folkstyle wrestling in many ways. In both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, a match consists of three two-minute periods. The score goes back to 0-0 at the start of each period and the first athlete to win two of the periods is the match winner. A period can be ended by a pin, which ends the match, or a technical fall, which occurs when one of the grapplers is up by six or more points over his competitor. A technical fall ends the period but not the match. Greco-Roman wrestling is very similar to that of freestyle except the use of legs is prohibited. Wrestlers are not permitted to make an attack on their opponent's legs, or use their legs to help turn or gain an offensive advantage over their opponent.
