The best wrestlers in the nation in the three international styles of wrestling will be on display in this exciting and important event, featuring men's freestyle, men's Greco-Roman and women's freestyle wrestling.
The USA Wrestling World Team Trials determines who will represent the U.S. at the 2006 World Wrestling Championships in Guangzhou, China, Sept. 26 – Oct. 1.
This will be the second straight year that USA Wrestling will host its World Team Trials in the state of Iowa. The 2005 USA Wrestling World Team Trials were held at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. Other past World Team Trials held in Iowa were the 1983 Freestyle World Team Trials in Iowa City, the 1990 Greco-Roman World Team Trials in Cedar Falls and the 1998 Freestyle World Team Trials in Waterloo.
The 2006 USA Wrestling World Team Trials will be organized by the Sioux City Championships Committee.
"Sioux City is very proud to be the host of the 2006 USA Wrestling Senior Men's and Women's Freestyle, and Senior Men's Greco-Roman World Team Trials, including many current and future US Olympians. Wrestling is a wonderful part of our Midwestern heritage and enjoys tremendous popularity here," noted Sioux City Mayor Karen Van De Steeg. "Wrestling reflects many of our Midwestern traits, including the values of hard work, patience, focus and discipline. We look forward to hosting this exciting event."
"Being selected as the site of this world-class event is a tribute to the support and dedication of our local wrestling community. We know the World Team Trials will be a success in Sioux City – an event not only the fans but the participants will remember for years to come," added Tournament Director Tim Tushla.
The Challenge Tournament, featuring all of the qualifiers for the tournament except the 2006 U.S. Nationals champions, will be held on Saturday, May 27.
The Final World Team Trials, featuring a best-of-three championship series between the 2006 U.S. Nationals champion and the Challenge Tournament winner in each weight class, will be held on Sunday, May 28.
Many of the star wrestlers who competed in the 2004 Olympic Games, as well as the 2005 World Wrestling Championships are expected to participate. This event will also showcase many young talents who are training to make the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team.
There will be numerous athletes in the field who have a strong tie to the host state of Iowa, including athletes who competed at Iowa State, the Univ. of Iowa or at Northern Iowa, in addition to other wrestlers who grew up in the state of Iowa or reside there.
Three members of the 2005 U.S. World Freestyle Team were residing in Iowa when they made the team: Chris Bono (Gilbert, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Joe Williams (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Tolly Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Bono attended Iowa State and Williams attended the Univ. of Iowa. Thompson went to high school in Janesville, Iowa.
In addition, Howells, Neb. native Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) grew up near Sioux City. Vering competed on the 2004 U.S. Greco-Roman Olympic Team and has competed in the last three World Championships for the U.S., placing fifth in two of those years.
2005 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team member Harry Lester at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. attended Iowa State for a season. 2005 Women's World Team member Sara McMann at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. resides in Iowa City.
The Tyson Events Center will seat 7,000 fans for the World Team Trials. Sioux City has hosted numerous outstanding wrestling competitions in the past, as well as a number of other major sports competitions.
Among the USA Wrestling events previously hosted in Sioux City were a USA vs. Turkey World Dual meet, a USA vs. Korea World Dual meet and a USA All-Star World Dual Meet. Sioux City is also the current host of the NAIA National Wrestling Championships.
Sioux City currently hosts the NAIA Women's Basketball Championships, and has recently hosted the NAIA Baseball Championships and the ISC Men's World Fast-Pitch Softball Championships.
The local wrestling community is large and well-respected. Two college wrestling teams are based in the city, Morningside and Briar Cliff. Among the top athletes who come from this community are Tony DeAnda, the assistant wrestling coach for the USOEC women's team at Northern Michigan Univ., and current NCAA Division II National Champion Patrick Allibone of the Univ. of Nebraska-Omaha. A number of other local wrestling stars are competing in major college wrestling programs.
"The state of Iowa has proven its love and passion for the sport of wrestling over the last 50 years, and there is no better place to be able to take the 2006 USA Wrestling World Team Trials than to Sioux City," stated USA Wrestling Director of National Events Pete Isais. "We are confident that the Sioux City community will embrace this event and provide a great backdrop for some of the World's top wrestlers to complete the final step in earning a spot on the 2006 U.S. World Team."
A website has been established that will provide ticket information, schedules and updates on the World Team Trials event this year. Visit: www.2006trials.org.
Past World Team Trials sites
1983 – Iowa City, Iowa (FS), Colorado Springs, Colo. (GR)
1985 – Baton Rouge, La. (FS)*, Colorado Springs, Colo. (GR)
1986 – Indianapolis, Ind. (FS), Albany, N.Y. (GR)
1987 – Houston, Texas*
1989 – Stillwater, Okla.*
1990 – Philadelphia, Pa. (FS), Cedar Falls, Iowa (GR), Toledo, Ohio (W)
1991 – Philadelphia, Pa. (FS), Warrensburg, Mo. (GR). Las Vegas, Nev. (W)
1992 – Las Vegas, Nev. (W)
1993 – Philadelphia, Pa. (FS), Rochester, Minn. (GR), Las Vegas, Nev. (W)
1994 – Philadelphia, Pa. (FS), LaCrosse, Wis. (GR), Las Vegas, Nev. (W)
1995 – Philadelphia, Pa. (FS), Colorado Springs, Colo. and Atlanta, Ga. (GR), Norman, Okla. (W)
1996 – Las Vegas, N.M. (W)
1997 – Las Vegas, Nev. (FS), Minneapolis, Minn. (GR), Roseville, Calif. (W)
1998 – Waterloo, Iowa (FS), Metarie, La. (GR), St. Paul, Minn. (W)
1999 – Seattle, Wash. (FS), Tampa, Fla. (GR), Rochester, Minn. (W)
2000 – Battle Creek, Mich. (W)
2001 – Cincinnati, Ohio
2002 – St. Paul, Minn.
2003 – Indianapolis, Ind.
2005 – Ames, Iowa
2006 – Sioux City, Iowa
*- Held during U.S. Olympic Festival
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