University of Minnesota Athletics
Wrestlers set for the 2011 Sunkist Kids International Open
10/27/2011 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Oct. 27, 2011
Four wrestlers with Minnesota ties are set to compete this weekend at the 2011 Sunkist Kids International Open, in Mesa, Arizona. C.P. Schlatter, Pat Smith, Jake Kettler and Kevin LeValley will all be hitting the circle on Saturday and Sunday in hopes of making it one step closer to their goal, the US Olympic Team.
Action is set to get underway on Saturday morning at Skyline High School. The format will be a double-elimination, straight-line bracketing to 3rd place. All weight classes will be wrestled to completion in one (1) day. There will be a blind computer draw after initial Friday night weigh-in.
Schlatter, Smith and Kettler, are set to wrestle Greco-Roman. Schlatter and Smith will both be in the 66kg class, while Kettler will be competing in the 120 kg class. Both Smith and Kettler are taking Olympic years and will not be in the maroon and gold this season. Check the Gophers Inner Circle Blog for more updates.
LeValley, who recently wrapped up his career at Bucknell University this last spring, has joined the Minnesota coaching staff as a graduate assistant. Before his duties with coaching the Gophers, LeValley will be wrestling Freestyle on Sunday in the 66 kg class.
Wrestlers, who meet the U.S. citizenship requirements necessary for representing the USA in the World Championships and are the Champion of the 2011 Sunkist Kids International Open, will qualify for the 2012 Olympic Team Trials. One of the qualifiers is scheduled to be held April 2012 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.