The event is held in honor of the late Jacob Curby, a Greco-Roman Team USA member who unexpectedly passed away at the age of 25 in January 2010.
The U.S. team will feature the 2015 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team, which will compete in the 2015 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, Nev., Sept. 7-12. The Curby Cup is one of the key tune-up events for the U.S. World Team in preparation for Las Vegas.
"One of the missions of the Jacob Curby Foundation is to help with the development of Greco-Roman wrestling in our nation. Having the defending World Champion Iran team in our country wrestling Team USA shows how much we have evolved and grown. I am truly excited for the historic opportunities of this year's Curby Cup," said Dave Curby, founder of the Curby Cup and Jacob Curby's father.
Leading Team USA is two-time World bronze medalist and Olympian Justin Lester (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 71 kg/156 lbs., 2014 World bronze medalist Andy Bisek (Colorado Springs, Colo./Minnesota Storm) at 75 kg/165 lbs. and two-time Olympian and two-time World fifth-place finisher Spenser Mango (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 59 kg/130 lbs.
Seven of the eight U.S. World team members also competed in the 2014 World Championships. Competing in their third straight World Championships are Jordan Holm (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 85 kg/187 lbs., Caylor Williams, Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 98 kg/216 lbs. and Robby Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 130 kg/286 lbs. On his second straight World team is Bryce Saddoris (Camp LeJeune, N.C./U.S. Marines) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. The only newcomer on the USA team is Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 80 kg/176 lbs.
Iran won the 2014 World Team Title in Greco-Roman with a champion and four total medalists in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Iran placed ahead of perennial powers Russia in second and Turkey in third. Iran is bringing a loaded lineup to Chicago, including some of the best wrestlers in the world.
Iran is led by 2012 Olympic champion and six-time World champion Hamid Soryan at 59 kg/130 lbs. Also in the lineup is 2014 World bronze medalist Afshin Byabangard at 75 kg/165 lbs., 2011 World bronze medalist Bashir Babajanzadeh at 130 kg/286 lbs. and 2009 World bronze medalist Habibollah Akhlaghi at 85 kg/187 lbs.
On the roster are 2015 Asian Championships champions Ramin Taheri at 71 kg/156 lbs. and Mahdi Aliyari at 98 kg/215 lbs. Competing at 80 kg/176 lbs is 2014 Junior World silver medalist Payam Boyeri.
"Iran is one of the best teams in the world and they are bringing their best team to the United States. This event is a pre-world match and training camp that will kick start the U.S. World Team's preparation for the World Championship in LasVegas. We are excited," said U.S. National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland.
Tickets for the Curby Cup are $10 and $15. For more information, visit the website at www.curbycup.com.
Since the Iranian Revolution, both Iran and the United States have competed in wrestling events in the other nation, in spite of their government's lack of formal interaction. When Iran arrives in Chicago to compete in the Curby Cup, it will be the 14th time that their wrestling team has come to the United States since the Iranian Revolution. The only other time that Iran sent Greco-Roman wrestlers to the USA was in 1996, when Iran had one Greco-Roman athlete at the Atlanta Olympic Games. The United States has sent teams to compete in Iran 13 times since the Iranian Revolution, most recently a Greco-Roman Roman team at the Takhti Cup earlier this year.
The official program for the Curby Cup begins at 9:00 a.m. with Illinois freestyle women's wrestling. At 10:00 a.m., Beat the Streets-Chicago and Beat the Streets-Indianapolis will have a youth wrestling event. At 12:00 noon, the U.S. Olympic Training Site from Northern Michigan will battle an Illinois Greco-Roman All-Star Team. The Opening Ceremonies begin at 2:00 p.m., followed by the USA vs. Iran dual meet at 2:30 p.m.
This is the fifth Curby Cup competition. The first Curby Cup was held in 2010, and featured challenge matches between U.S. Greco-Roman wrestling stars on the Senior, Junior and Cadet level. In 2011, it became an international event, when Team USA battled an International All-Star Team in Greco-Roman. In 2012, the Curby Cup featured a USA vs. Georgia international dual meet, featuring numerous world-class competitors. In 2013, as part of the successful Keep Olympic Wrestling effort, the Curby Cup featured a dual meet tournament featuring the United States, Hungary, Lithuania and Serbia. There was no Curby Cup in 2014. All of the previous Curby Cups were held in LaGrange, Ill., where Jacob Curby attended high school.
JACOB CURBY CUP
At Chicago, Ill, June 27
Event Schedule
9:00 a.m. - Illinois freestyle women's wrestling.
10:00 a.m. - Beat the Streets-Chicago and Beat the Streets-Indianapolis youth matches
12:00 noon - U.S. Olympic Education Center - NMU vs. Illinois Greco-Roman All-Star Team
2:00 p.m. - Opening Ceremonies begin at 2:00 p.m.
2:30 p.m. - USA vs. Iran Greco-Roman Dual Meet
USA Curby Cup lineup
59 kg/130 lbs. - Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Bryce Saddoris, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines)
71 kg/156 lbs. - Justin Lester, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
75 kg/165 lbs. - Andy Bisek, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm)
80 kg/176 lbs. - Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
85 kg/187 lbs. - Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
98 kg/216 lbs. - Caylor Williams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
130 kg/286 lbs. - Robby Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
Iran Curby Cup lineup
59 kg/130 lbs. - Hamid Soryan
59 kg/130 lbs. - Mohammad Nourbakh
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Mohammad Ali Garaei
71 kg/156 lbs. - Ramin Taheri
75 kg/165 lbs. - Afshin Byabangard
80 kg/176 lbs. - Payam Boyeri
85 kg/187 lbs. - Habibollah Akhlaghi
98 kg/216 lbs. - Mehdi Aliyari
130 kg/286 lbs. - Bashir Babajanzadeh
NMU - USOTS vs. Illinois All-Stars
59 kg/130 lbs. - Alec Noa, Lombard, Ill. (USOTS) vs. Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (IL All-Stars)
65 kg/143 lbs. - Travis Rice, Washington, Ill. (USOTS) vs. Chris Dardanes, Oak Park, Ill. (IL All-Stars)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Austin Morrow, Wenatchee, Wash. (USOTS) vs. Nick Dardanes, Oak Park, Ill. (IL All-Stars)
75 kg/165 lbs. - Jake Fisher, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)* vs. TBA
85 kg/187 lbs. - Khymba Johnson, Sacramento, Calif. (USOTS) vs. Joe Rau, Chicago, Ill. (IL All-Stars)
85 kg/187 lbs. - Brandon Marshall, Keystone Hts., Fla. (USOTS) vs. Mark Stenberg, Lockport, Ill. (IL All-Stars)
105 kg/231 lbs. - Orry Elor, Walnut Creek, Calif. (USOTS) vs Pete Kowalczuk, Oak Park, Ill. (IL All-Stars)
*Note - Fisher is a graduate of the NMU-USOTS program.
Information on other preliminary matches to be announced shortly
ABOUT THE JACOB CURBY FOUNDATION
The Jacob Curby Foundation has been formed to honor the memory of my son, and has as its mission, teaching strong values through wrestling participation, growing youth participation in wrestling as a path to success and personal growth, and the advancement of Olympic-style international wrestling competition in the United States. Before his sudden, tragic death, Jacob Curby had been working as hard as he could to attain the ultimate goals in Greco-Roman wrestling - becoming an Olympic and World Champion. Jake was taken from us too early and was unable to complete his quest, but he remains a champion in all our hearts.
ABOUT USA WRESTLING
USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling, the International Wrestling Federation. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. Its president is James Ravannack, and its Executive Director is Rich Bender.
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