Three Nittany Lion Wrestling Club members traveled to Baku, Azerbaijan to compete in the FILA Golden Grand Prix for Team USA. Ed Ruth (86kg/189lbs) and Jake Varner (97kg/213lbs) both won bronze medals, helping America to a 4th place finish. Nico Megaludis, our man at 125lbs, and the only college-eligible member of USA's lineup, placed 5th, winning his first match 4-1 over Mehmed Feraim of Bulgaria.
Former Hawkeye Brent Metcalf led Team USA with a Gold medal performance at 65kg/143lbs. Tervel Dlagnev, the former Nebraska-Kerney D2 wrestler and reigning US Open champ also earned a bronze medal. Andrew Howe also competed for Team USA, finishing 0-2.
Give a follow to @babyflo_nico, @edwardleeruth, and @JakeVarner211 - awesome tweets from overseas.
Big thank you to USA Wrestling for the coverage and results shared below:
U.S. men’s freestyle results
57 kg/125.5 lbs.- Nico Megaludis, Murraysville, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC), 5th
WIN Mehmed Feraim (Bulgaria), 4-1
LOSS Axmednabi Qvarzatilov (Azerbaijan), 0-6
LOSS Makhmud Magomedov (Azerbaijan), tech fall 0-11
65 kg /143 lbs.– Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC/Hawkeye WC), 1st
WIN Murad Nuhkadiev (Russia), 9-2
WIN Haislan Garcia (Canada), 2-0
WIN Magomed Muslimov (Azerbaijan), 6-6
74 kg/163 lbs. – Andrew Howe, Norman, Okla. (New York AC), 8th
LOSS Rashid Kurbanov (Uzbekistan), 2-4
LOSS Kamal Malikov (Russia), 3-4
86 kg/189 lbs. – Ed Ruth, Harrisburg, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC), 3rd
WIN Armands Zvirbulis (Latvia), pin
WIN Maqomedqadji Xatiyev (Azerbaijan), tech. fall 18-8
LOSS Shamil Kudiyamagomedov (Russia), 4-7
WIN Taimuraz Friev (Spain), forfeit
97 kg/213 lbs. – Jake Varner, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC), 3rd
LOSS Khetag Gazyumov (Azerbaijan), 1-5
WIN Roman Bakirov (Azerbaijan), 7-2
WIN Imants Lagodskis (Latvia), tech. fall 10-0
125 kg/275 lbs. – Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC), 3rd
WIN Soslan Gagloev (Slovakia), tech. fall 10-0
LOSS Giorgi Sakandelidze (Georgia), 4-6
WIN Alexis Rodriguez (Azerbaijan), pin
Men’s freestyle standings
1. Azerbaijan, 138 pts
2. Russia, 51
3. Ukraine, 47
4. United States, 41
5. Georgia, 27
6. Iran, 22
7. Kyrgyzstan, 15
8. Belarus, 14
9. Bulgaria, 13
10. Mongolia, 12