Quantico wrestlers eye Olympic berths

Quantico wrestlers qualify for Olympic Trials

Date published: 6/13/2008

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Two Quantico Marine Corps wrestlers have qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials, which begin today in Las Vegas.

David Arendt is seeded fifth in the 264.5-pound Greco-Roman division, and Donovan DePatto is seeded seventh at 132 pounds.

Also competing is veteran Marcel Cooper, who was previously stationed at Quantico but now wrestles out of Colorado Springs, Colo. He was third in the 2000 and 2004 trials and is seeded seventh at 145 pounds this time.

To make the Olympic team, each must win his qualifying bracket, then defeat the top-seeded wrestler in a best-of-three series over the weekend.

Competition begins today in Greco-Roman and women's freestyle. The men's freestyle classes begin tomorrow.

Quantico's Marine Corps base, which has traditionally housed many of the nation's top Greco-Roman wrestlers, hasn't sent a representative to the Olympic Games since Buddy Lee in 1992.

The two big U.S. wrestling names from the last two Olympics, Rulon Gardner and Cael Sanderson, retired after Athens, leaving these trials with names familiar only to wrestling aficionados.

Gardner, the Greco-Roman heavyweight whose Miracle on the Mat upset of Russia's Alexander Karelin in 2000 might be the signature moment in U.S. wrestling history, came back from a series of post-Sydney mishaps for a bronze medal in Athens.

Sanderson, a four-time undefeated NCAA wrestling champion, was the only American wrestling gold medalist in 2004 but the Iowa State coach chose not to try for a second gold.

SHEGOG MISSES CUT

Recent Brooke Point High School graduate Chay Shegog was not among the 12 players named yesterday to USA Basketball's Under-18 women's team.

Shegog, a 6-foot-4 center, was one of 35 invitees to team trials in Colorado Springs this week. She had hoped to make the team that will represent the U.S. at next month's 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The final roster includes Linetta Kizer, a recent graduate of Potomac High School in Dumfries.

The other team members are Kelsey Bone (Stafford, Texas); Sarah Boothe (Gurnee, Ill.); Alyssia Brewer (Sapulpa, Okla.); Ashley Corral (Vancouver, Wash.); Skylar Diggins (South Bend, Ind.); Kelly Faris (Plainfield, Ind.); Nneka Ogwumike (Cypress, Texas); Samantha Prahalis (Dix Hills, N.Y.); Nikki Speed (Pasadena, Calif.); SheKinna Stricklen (Morrilton, Ark.); and Joslyn Tinkle (Missoula, Mont.).

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Date published: 6/13/2008