Pendleton Earns 2-1 Record At Olympic Team Trials
UW assistant wrestling coach finishes second in challenge portion of event
IOWA CITY, Iowa (April 23, 2012) Chris Pendleton, a University of Wyoming assistant wrestling coach, finished 2-1 at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials on Saturday, earning second place in the challenge portion of the event.
Pendleton, wrestling as part of the Cowboy Wrestling Club in the freestyle 96-kilogram (211.5 pounds) bracket, opened the event with a 2-1, 3-1 decision over JD Bergman (NYAC/Ohio RTC). He followed that up with a 1-0, 4-3 decision over
Dustin Kilgore (Sunkist Kids/Team OTC). Pendleton then met Tommy Rowlands (Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC) in the challenge finals, dropping a 3-1, 4-0 decision. The winner of the challenge portion of the Trials earned a spot in the championship finals.
Three other competitors from the Cowboy Wrestling Club competed at the Trials, including Tyler Cox, Michael Martinez and Joe LeBlanc.
Cox, who wrestled for Wyoming in 2011-11 but took an Olympic redshirt last season, went 0-2 in the Greco-Roman 55-kilogram bracket. Martinez, a senior on this year’s UW squad, also came away 0-2 in his freestyle 55-kilogram bracket. LeBlanc,
an outgoing senior for the Pokes, was 0-2 in the 84-kilogram freestyle bracket.
Challenge Round Results
Tyler Cox, 55 kilograms/121 pounds Greco-Roman (0-2)
Isaiah Varona (USOEC) dec. Cox, 2-0, 0-2, 3-0
Nathan Engel (Army) dec. Cox, 4-3, 0-4, 3-1
Michael Martinez, 55 kilograms/121 pounds (0-2)
Sam Hazelwinkel (Sunkist Kids) fall (1:59) Martinez
Frank Perelli (NYAC/Finger Lakes WC) dec. Martinez, 6-0, 3-1
Joe LeBlanc, 84 kilograms/185 pounds (0-2)
Jon Reader (Sunkist Kids/Cyclone WC) dec. LeBlanc, 6-0, 2-1
Ed Ruth (Nittany Lion WC) dec. LeBlanc, 2-3, 6-0, 5-2
Chris Pendleton, 96 kilograms/211.5 pounds (2-1)
Pendleton dec. JD Bergman (NYAC/Ohio RTC), 2-1, 3-1
Pendleton dec. Dustin Kilgore (Sunkist Kids/Team OTC), 1-0, 4-3
Tommy Rowlands (Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC) dec. Pendleton, 3-1, 4-0
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