(Roster listed from a January relase from USA Wrestling)
This weekend in Turkey the Yasar Dogu will be taking place and former UNI All-American Joe Colon will be back in action at 57 kg for his first compeition since he competed at the Cerro Pelado International tournament in Cuba.
Colon put together a bronze medal performance at the Cerro Pelado where he lost to the tournament’s eventual silver medalist Metreveli of Spain. Colon was then pulled into the repechage where he faced off against 2012 Olympian Sam Hazewinkel and beat him 10-0 to finish with the bronze medal. Colon was ranked as the #2 57 kg in the last freestyle rankings that Team USA released in January, behind world ranked Tony Ramos.
According to his Twitter, Angel Escobedo has been added to the list that was released in January for competitors traveling to Turkey for the Dogu tournament. Escobedo is part of the AGON V: Iowa Against The World on April 3rd in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he will face off against Matt McDonough, so it will be interesting to see him with a short turn around. Escobedo was supposed to compete at the Cerro Pelado in Cuba with Colon last month, but scratched due to injury.
A couple other interesting names will be competing in this tournament, with one name sticking out as Jason Welch at 74 kg. Welch is slated to compete at the AGON V event where he is supposed to face former Hawkeye NCAA champion Derek St. John. Both competitions are within a week of each other, so we will see if that plays a role when the deal goes down in a few weeks.
The other big name is former NCAA standout from Penn State, David Taylor who will be making his first appearance since the World Team Trials last summer. Taylor is one of the main threats to dethrone Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs for the 2016 games in Rio. Anytime one of the best wrestlers from America takes what seems like an extra long break from wrestling, it always builds some additional excitement.
Former Cyclone and current head coach of South Dakota State Jackrabbits, Chris Bono will serve as coach for the team.
Yasar Dogu International, Istanbul, Turkey (Mar. 28-29)
57 kg/125.5 lbs – Joe Colon, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Panther WC of NE Iowa)
57 kg/125.5 lbs – Angel Escobedo, Ames, Iowa (New York AC/ Ohio RTC)
57 kg/125.5 lbs – Kyle Hutter, Norfolk, Va. (Titan Mercury WC)
57 kg/125.5 lbs – Dan Mitcheff, Lorain, Ohio (NEORTC)
61 kg/134 lbs – Coleman Scott, Chapel Hill, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC)
61 kg/134 lbs – Brandon Precin, Ann Arbor, Mich. (NYAC/Michigan RTC)
65 kg/143 lbs – Jason Chamberlain, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC)
65 kg/143 lbs – Kellen Russell, High Bridge, N.J. (NYAC/Cliff Keen WC)
70 kg/154 lbs – Kyle Ruschell, Madison, Wis. (NYAC/Wisconsin RTC)
74 kg/163 lbs – David Taylor, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
74 kg/163 lbs – Jason Welch, Evanston, Ill. (Chicago RTC/Wrestling Prep)
86 kg/189 lbs – Keith Gavin, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
86 kg/189 lbs – Austin Trotman, Boone, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC)
97 kg/213 lbs – J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (NYAC/Ohio RTC)
97 kg/213 lbs – Wynn Michalk, Champaign, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC/Illinois RTC)
125 kg/275 lbs – Matthew Meuleners, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC)
Coach – Chris Bono, Brookings, S.D.
Team Leader – Les Gutches, Colorado Springs, Colo.