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  • Photo:

    Andrew Hipps •

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    Hipps: Matchups to watch at University Nationals

    The University Nationals freestyle competition takes place Saturday and Sunday in Akron, Ohio. This year's field is once again loaded with talent. NCAA champions, All-Americans and Junior World medalists are sprinkled throughout the nine weight classes. Online registration closed on Tuesday night. However, several more wrestlers are expected to enter the competition through on-site registration on Friday night. Below is a look at five intriguing matchups that could happen this weekend in Akron based strictly on the online registrants.

    Tyrell Fortune vs. Adam Coon (125 kilos)

    Tyrell Fortune won the New York AC International and Dave Schultz Memorial events (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)
    Fortune and Coon have been national age group stars for many years, winning national titles in all three styles throughout their careers, and the two should be on a collision course to meet this weekend in Akron. Fortune won a World University Games bronze medal last summer, and has already established himself as one of America's top freestyle heavyweights on the senior level. He was a runner-up at last year's U.S. World Team Trials to Tervel Dlagnev. This season Forutne won gold medals at the New York AC International and Dave Schultz Memorial. He recently finished third at the U.S. Open, with his lone loss coming to Dom Bradley in the semifinals. Coon was a Cadet World champion in freestyle in 2011, and last year won a Junior National Triple Crown. Coon stepped in Michigan's lineup this past season as a true freshman and made an immediate impact, climbing to No. 1 in the nation at one point. He notched wins over both NCAA finalists this past season. However, Coon had a disappointing finish to his season, placing ninth at the Big Tens and losing in the round of 12 at the NCAAs. He rebounded by winning double titles at FILA Junior Nationals.

    Nahshon Garrett vs. Joey Dance (57 kilos)

    Garrett and Dance were both NCAA All-Americans this past season, placing second and fourth respectively at 125 pounds. The two wrestlers did not meet at the NCAAs, but did wrestle at the Nationals Duals in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 17, with Garrett winning that meeting 7-2. Dance scored the first takedown in that match, countering a Garrett attack, to go up 2-0. But it was all Garrett the rest of the way. Garrett recently competed at the Beat the Streets event in New York City, where he lost a tight match to Georgi Vangelov of Bulgaria. Dance has been a national champion in freestyle at the FILA Junior, Junior, FILA Cadet, and Cadet levels, and will be looking to and a University title to that list. In 2012 he represented the United States at the Junior World Championships, where he went 1-2 at 55 kilos. Both Garrett and Dance are active on their feet and wrestle a high pace. If the match materializes it should be a highly entertaining.

    James Green vs. Ian Miller (70 kilos)

    James Green dominated Ian Miller at the 2014 NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)
    Green and Miller, both past University Nationals champions and 2014 All-Americans at 157 pounds, are registered at 70 kilos. The two wrestlers met two months ago for third place at the NCAAs, with Green dominating that match 13-1. Miller, though, has beaten Green in the past in freestyle. Green competed at 66 kilos (145.2 pounds) last year, which is 12 pounds lighter than his collegiate wrestling competition weight, and made an impressive run through the University Nationals field, defeating NCAA All-Americans Nick Dardanes, Hunter, Stieber, and Jason Chamberlain to earn a spot on the University World Team. He went 1-1 at the World University Games last summer, winning his first match and losing his second match 10-5 to Ulukman Mamatov of Kyrgyzstan. Green's style is well suited for freestyle, and he has made it clear that his goals are to win Olympic and World titles in freestyle. The three-time All-American for Nebraska is quick and explosive on his feet. Miller, who attends Kent State, is also tremendous on his feet and can score with a variety of techniques, including inside trips, boot scoots and throws.

    Chris Perry vs. Pat Downey (86 kilos)

    Perry recently capped his collegiate wrestling career by winning his second NCAA title, and did so with a convincing victory over three-time NCAA finalist Andrew Howe in the NCAA finals. Perry, who comes from arguably America's most successful wrestling family, always seemed to be wrestling under a microscope at Oklahoma State. He was scrutinized because of his wrestling style, which didn't always lend itself to a lot of scoring, but delivered when it mattered most. He has been a successful freestyle wrestler. Four years ago, after his redshirt season at Oklahoma State, Perry placed third at the U.S. Open and then captured a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships. Last year he won two international events. Downey is supremely talented, but has been a bit of an enigma over the past few years. He spent two years at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and earned a silver medal at the Junior World Championships in 2012. Downey signed with Nebraska, along with OTC teammate Destin McCauley, and was a member of the Cornhusker wrestling team for part of this past season. However, Downey never wrestled in Nebraska's lineup and eventually transferred to Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Two weeks ago Downey rolled through his competition at the Northern Plains Regional to win the title at 86 kilos, which qualified him for the U.S. World Team Trials in Madison, Wis.

    Tyler Caldwell vs. Taylor Massa (74 kilos)

    Taylor Massa placed fifth at the U.S. Open at 74 kilos (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)
    Caldwell finished his collegiate wrestling career as a four-time All-American and two time NCAA finalist. The only three wrestlers to defeat Caldwell over his last three NCAA tournaments were Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Dake and David Taylor. Caldwell now finds himself in the same weight class (74 kilos) as those three wrestlers in his senior level freestyle career. He took a loss to Taylor in the semifinals of the U.S. Open, but came back to finish third. Massa, who is coming off a redshirt season at Michigan, has a strong freestyle wrestling resume. He is a two-time FILA Junior National freestyle champion, and represented the United States at the FILA Junior World Championships in 2011. He fell just short of making the FILA Junior World Team in 2012 and 2013, losing both years to Alex Dieringer in close matches. Caldwell and Massa have history. Caldwell edged Massa, 3-1, in the quarterfinals of the 2013 NCAAs in Des Moines. Their most recent meeting, however, came in freestyle just over a month ago at the U.S. Open. Caldwell also won that meeting, 4-1, in a match that saw no takedowns scored.
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