Armed Forces Wrestling Championships set for Naval Base KITSAP in Bremerton, Wash., Feb. 2

Feb. 17, 2016 – The 2016 Armed Forces Wrestling Championships will be held at the Bremerton Fitness Complex at the Naval Base KITSAP in Bremerton, Wash., Saturday, February 20 and Sunday, February 21.

Live Coverage Here

Traditionally one of the most intense competitions held each year in wrestling, the event will feature athletes from the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force competing in the three Olympic disciplines of the sport, men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.

This event is part of the #Road2IowaCity Trials Qualifiers series. The champions in the Greco-Roman division will qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which will be held at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. There are as many as eight spots in the Olympic Trials up for grabs at the Armed Forces Championships.

The U.S. Army is the defending champion at the Armed Forces Championships, having won the team title in freestyle and Greco-Roman, as well as the combined team title, when the Armed Forces Championships were held at Fort Carson in Colorado in March 2015.

In regards to the individual champions in 2015, the U.S. Army won nine gold medals, the U.S. Marine Corps won four gold medals, the U.S. Air Force won two gold medals and the U.S. Navy won one gold medal. U.S. Marine Corps heavyweight David Arendt was the only double champion in 2015, winning a gold medal in both styles. In addition, the first women’s freestyle champion in Armed Forces history was crowned, when Leigh Jaynes-Provisor of the U.S. Army won the title at 58 kg/128 lbs.

The U.S. Army is seeking its 15th straight Armed Forces Championships title in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. The last year that the Army placed second in this event was 2001.

Preliminary rosters from the military teams include a number of top competitors in both styles.

In Greco-Roman, returning Armed Forces champions on this year’s rosters include Aaron Kalil of the U.S. Marine Corps at 59 kg, Bryce Saddoris of the U.S. Marine Corps at 66 kg, Michael Hooker of the U.S. Army at 71 kg, Justin Lester of the U.S. Army at 74 kg, James Souza of the U.S. Navy at 85 kg and Caylor Williams of the U.S. Army at 98 kg. Lester is a two-time World bronze medalist and a 2012 Olympian. Williams has competed on three U.S. World Teams, while Saddoris has been a two-time World Team member.

In men’s freestyle, returning Armed Forces champions include Max Nowry of the U.S. Army at 57 kg, Vladyslov Dombrovskiy of the U.S. Army at 75 kg and Victor Terrell of the U.S. Army at 86 kg. Of special note, the U.S. Army team features two-time NCAA All-American Ryan Mango at 61 kg, who competed for Stanford Univ. prior to joining the U.S. Army WCAP program.

Among the women entries is two-time World bronze medalist Sally Roberts of the U.S. Army.

The competition features dual meets between each of the branches of the U.S. military, with the results from the dual meets determining the team placements. In addition, individual medals are awarded based upon the results in each weight class from those dual meets.

The Armed Forces Wrestling Championships will be streamed live and free of charge on TheMat.com and on USA Wrestling’s You Tube Channel. USA Wrestling’s Richard Immel and Gary Abbott will call the action.

ARMED FORCES WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Naval Base KITSAP, Bremerton, Wash., Feb. 20-21

U.S. Army Roster
Greco-Roman
59 kg/130 lbs.– SGT Jermaine Hodge
66 kg/145.5 lbs. –SPC Ellis Coleman
71 kg/156 lbs. – PFC Michael Hooker
75 kg/165 lbs. – SGT Justin Lester
80 kg/176 lbs. – SGT Timothy Bleau
85 kg/187 lbs. – SGT Courtney Myers
98 kg/215 lbs. – SGT Caylor Williams
130 kg/286 lbs. – SPC Matthew Lamb
Men’s Freestyle
57 kg/125.5 lbs. – SGT Max Nowry
61 kg/134 lbs.– SPC Ryan Mango
65 kg/143 lbs. – SGT Jamel Johnson
70 kg/154 lbs.– SPC Isaac Dukes
74 kg/163 lbs. –SGT Vladyslov Dombrovskiy
86 kg/189 lbs. – SGT Victor Terrell
97 kg/213 lbs. – PFC Lucas Sheridan
125 kg/275 lbs. – SPC Enhyr Meza
Women’s Freestyle
60 kg/132 lbs. – SGT Sally Roberts
Coach – Shon Lewis
Assistant Coach – Bruce Robinson
OIC – Martha Reed
Medical – Kyle Eckert
Service Rep – Claudia Berwanger

U.S. Marine Corps Roster
Greco-Roman
59 kg/130 lbs.– CPL Ruben Navejas, 1stLt Aaron Kalil or LCPL Xavier Johnson
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – CPL Raymond Bunker, LCPL Joshua Russo or Capt Bryce Saddoris
71 kg/156 lbs. – CPL Jayshon Wilson
75 kg/165 lbs. – 1stLt Robby Neill or 1stLt Michael Brant
85 kg/187 lbs. – CPL Dalton Weis, CPL Daniel Fierro or Sgt John Stefanowicz
98 kg/215 lbs. – 1stLt Daniel Miller
130 kg/286 lbs. – LCPL Eric Fader
Men’s Freestyle
57 kg/125.5 lbs. – CPL Ruben Navejas, 1stLt Aaron Kalil or LCPL Xavier Johnson
65 kg/143 lbs. – CPL Raymond Bunker, LCPL Joshua Russo or Capt Bryce Saddoris
70 kg/154 lbs.– CPL Jayshon Wilson
74 kg/163 lbs. – 1stLt Robby Neill or 1stLt Michael Brant
86 kg/189 lbs. – CPL Dalton Weis, CPL Daniel Fierro or Sgt John Stefanowicz
97 kg/213 lbs. – 1stLt Daniel Miller
125 kg/275 lbs. – LCPL Eric Fader
Coach – Jason Loukides
Medical - Aaron Bachert
Service Rep – Jim Medley

U.S. Air Force Roster
Greco-Roman
59 kg/130 lbs.– SSgt Randy Duncan
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – SrA Thomas Domerese
71 kg/156 lbs. – 1Lt Brandon Mueller
75 kg/165 lbs. – 1Lt Gabrian Martinez
80 kg/176 lbs. – MSgt Sherwin Severin
85 kg/187 lbs. – SrA Brandon Johnson
98 kg/215 lbs. – Sgt Jeffrey Zastrow
130 kg/286 lbs. – SrA Jorge Hernandez
Men’s Freestyle
57 kg/125.5 lbs. – A1C Joey Garza
61 kg/134 lbs.– SSgt Dylan Gaissert or SrA Tyler Knepper
65 kg/143 lbs. – Capt Kurt Spranger
70 kg/154 lbs.– 1Lt Brandon Mueller
74 kg/163 lbs. – 1Lt Gabrian Martinez
86 kg/189 lbs. – 1 Lt Clayton Gable or SrA Brandon Johnson
97 kg/213 lbs. – Sgt Jeffrey Zastrow
125 kg/275 lbs. – SrA Jorge Hernandez
Coach – Floyd Winter
Assistant Coach – Stephen Horton
Medical – SSgt Ryan Vottero
Manager – A1C Tyler Westlund
Project Officer – Kim Lissner

U.S. Navy Roster
Greco-Roman
59 kg/130 lbs.– FN Ryan Schmehr
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – AE2 Whit Dawkins
71 kg/156 lbs. –MA2 Bobby Yamashita
75 kg/165 lbs. – IC3 Craig Austin
80 kg/176 lbs. – ND2 David Close
85 kg/187 lbs. – MM3 James Souza
98 kg/215 lbs. – AEAN Joseph Blaes
130 kg/286 lbs. – OS2 Zachariah Manning
Men’s Freestyle
57 kg/125.5 lbs. – FN Ryan Schmehr
61 kg/134 lbs.– HN Bobby Raines
65 kg/143 lbs. – AE2 Whit Dawkins
70 kg/154 lbs.– ND3 Blake Borges
74 kg/163 lbs. –AN Lance Jeffries
86 kg/189 lbs. – MM3 James Souza
97 kg/213 lbs. – AEAN Joseph Blaes
125 kg/275 lbs. – OS2 Zachariah Manning
Women’s Freestyle
63 kg/138.75 lbs – OS3 Abril Ramirez
Coach – Alejandro Delapena
Assistant Coach – Jesse Delapena
Medical – Peter Lundblad

Event Schedule

Friday, February 20
9:00 a.m. – Opening Ceremonies
10:00 a.m. – Session I – Greco-Roman Dual Meets
30 minutes after first session – Session II – Greco-Roman Dual Meets
1:00 p.m. – Session III – Greco-Roman Dual Meets

Saturday, February 21
9:00 a.m. – Session I – Freestyle Dual Meets
30 minutes after first session – Session II – Freestyle Dual Meets
1:00 p.m. – Session III – Freestyle Dual Meets

2015 ARMED FORCES CHAMPIONS

Greco-Roman Champions
59 kg/130 lbs.– Aaron Kalil (Marines)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Bryce Saddoris (Marines)
71 kg/156 lbs. - Michael Hooker (Army)
75 kg/165 lbs. - Justin Lester (Army)
80 kg/176 lbs. - Aaron Sieracki (Army)
85 kg/187 lbs. - James Souza (Navy)
98 kg/215 lbs. - Caylor Williams (Army)
130 kg/286 lbs. - David Arendt (Marines)
Greco-Roman Team Results: 1. Army, 2. Marines, 3. Air Force, 4. Navy

Men’s Freestyle Champions
57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Max Nowry (Army)
61 kg/134 lbs.– William Simpson (Army)
65 kg/143 lbs. – Cole VonOhlen (Air Force)
70 kg/154 lbs.– Vlad Dombrovsky (Army)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Moza Fay (Army)
86 kg/189 lbs. – Victor Terrell (Army)
97 kg/213 lbs. – Eric Lapotsky (Air Force)
125 kg/275 lbs. – David Arendt (Marines)
Men’s Freestyle Team Results: 1. Army, 2. Marines, 3. Air Force, 4. Navy

Women’s Freestyle Champion
58 kg/128 lbs. – Leigh Jaynes-Provisor (Army)

Armed Forces Wrestling Championships set for Naval Base KITSAP in Bremerton, Wash., Feb. 20-21

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