April 12, 2012

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Eight Terps are scheduled to compete at the USA Wrestling Men's FILA Junior National Championships at the Alliant Energy Center of Dane County in Madison, Wis., this weekend. Competition in 11 weight classes in freestyle and Greco-Roman is scheduled for Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 15.

The event features the nation's best 17-20 year old male wrestlers in the Olympic styles of freestyle and Greco-Roman. The event annually showcases many of the nation's best college underclassmen as well as top high school wrestling talents.

Freshmen Shane Arechiga (63 kg), Kyle Dehaut (74 kg), TJ Guidice (70 kg), Paul O'Neill (60 kg) and Josh Snook (74 kg), and sophomore Tony Gardner (84 kg) will compete in the freestyle division.

Terps competing in the Greco-Roman division include freshmen TJ Guidice (70 kg), Sean O'Malley (70 kg) and Conor Wetzel (96 kg).

The top six placewinners from the FILA Junior Nationals in Madison qualify for the 2012 FILA Junior World Team Trials, set for Colorado Springs, Colo., May 25-26. This year's FILA Junior World Championships will be held in Pattaya, Thailand, Sept. 4-9.

Competition will be held in the eight FILA Junior International weight classes, plus three additional weight classes added for this event. Many of last year's champions and All-Americans at the FILA Junior Nationals are currently among the nation's best wrestlers in college and high school.

Of the 2011 FILA Junior Nationals champions in men's freestyle, five were NCAA All-Americans this year: Jesse Delgado of Illinois at 125, Tony Ramos of Iowa at 133, Kendrick Maple of Oklahoma at 141, Ethan Lofthouse of Iowa at 174 and Bobby Telford of Iowa at 285.

Of the 2011 FILA Junior Nationals Greco-Roman champions, six have already qualified to compete in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Greco-Roman: Mike Fuenffinger at 55 kg, Jesse Thielke at 60 kg, Jamel Johnson at 60 kg, Josh Castellano at 66 kg, Marcus Finau at 96 kg and Toby Erickson at 120 kg.

For a complete schedule and more information, visit the FILA Junior Nationals website: FILA Junior Nationals website.

- Terps -