Ex-Husker wrestler Ruiz wins national title
LAS VEGAS — Former Husker Justin Ruiz defeated R.C. Johnson 4-1, 1-1 to win the U.S. Greco-Roman wrestling national championship Friday night in the 96-kilogram (211½-pound) weight class.
Ruiz advanced to the finals having surrendered only two points in his first three matches of the day.
At 84 kilograms (185 pounds), World Championships silver medalist Brad Vering lost to Brad Ahearn of the U.S. Army 2-1, 1-1 in the finals. Vering, a Howells native and a 2000 NCAA champion at Nebraska, led the U.S. team to its first world championship last September and was earlier this week named USA Wrestling’s wrestler of the year.
The top seven finishers in each weight class advance to the U.S. Olympic Trials, June 13-15 also here in Las Vegas.
Before the finals, Vering said his only focus this weekend was keeping the American team atop the world rankings.
“We don’t want to do this just one year,” said Vering. “We want to win the Olympics this year as a team. We want to bring home as many medals as we can, break records, do whatever. That’s the kind of team mentality that we have right now.”
Today, five wrestlers with local ties will be competing in the U.S. Freestyle Championships.
In the heavyweight (120 kilograms, 264½ pounds) division, former Husker national champion Tolly Thompson will be competing along with Nebraska-Kearney’s 2008 Division II national champion Tervel Dlagnev join Les Sigman, a former four-time Division II champ at Nebraska-Omaha and a current assistant at Nebraska. All three are ranked in the top five nationally.
At 84 kilograms, former Huskers B.J. Padden and Travis Pascoe are slated to compete.
Ruiz advanced to the finals having surrendered only two points in his first three matches of the day.
At 84 kilograms (185 pounds), World Championships silver medalist Brad Vering lost to Brad Ahearn of the U.S. Army 2-1, 1-1 in the finals. Vering, a Howells native and a 2000 NCAA champion at Nebraska, led the U.S. team to its first world championship last September and was earlier this week named USA Wrestling’s wrestler of the year.
The top seven finishers in each weight class advance to the U.S. Olympic Trials, June 13-15 also here in Las Vegas.
Before the finals, Vering said his only focus this weekend was keeping the American team atop the world rankings.
“We don’t want to do this just one year,” said Vering. “We want to win the Olympics this year as a team. We want to bring home as many medals as we can, break records, do whatever. That’s the kind of team mentality that we have right now.”
Today, five wrestlers with local ties will be competing in the U.S. Freestyle Championships.
In the heavyweight (120 kilograms, 264½ pounds) division, former Husker national champion Tolly Thompson will be competing along with Nebraska-Kearney’s 2008 Division II national champion Tervel Dlagnev join Les Sigman, a former four-time Division II champ at Nebraska-Omaha and a current assistant at Nebraska. All three are ranked in the top five nationally.
At 84 kilograms, former Huskers B.J. Padden and Travis Pascoe are slated to compete.
Copyright © 2002-2008 Lincoln Journal Star. All rights reserved.