Victoria Anthony took the World by storm, taking home the 2010 Junior World title at 48kg/105.75lbs. Victoria was the only gold medalist for the United States at the Junior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on July 22-25th. Victoria joins an exclusive group of a handful of individuals in America who have won two junior world titles. She is also the only NYAC wrestler ever to have ever won two junior world championships.

Victoria had a dominant opening round victory pinning Yasmine Abigai Leon Martinez of Mexico. In the quarter-finals, she faced Lenka Matajova from Slovakia. Victoria's conditioning and mental toughness were superior, outlasting her Slovakian opponent to advance to the junior world semi-finals. The semi-final bout featured USA vs Germany. Victoria stopped Jacqueline Schellen of Germany 4-1 1-0 to advance to the gold medal match. In the gold medal final, she defeated Davaasuren Bayarmagnai of Mongolia  1-0, 6-0 in the most dominant final of the evening.

In Greco Roman, Ellis Coleman achieved something that has not been done in the USA in three years - he took home a medal at junior world championship in Greco Roman for the Untied States, earning a bronze medal at 66kg/145lbs.

En route to earning the USA's first medal of the games, Ellis beat Mohsen Ghasemi of Iran, Sachno Davitala of Georgia and Renat Nigmatulin of Kazakhstan. His only loss was to the eventual champion form Chingiz Labazonov of Russia.

Amy Whiteback (51kg/112.25lbs) had an outstanding weekend at the junior world championships in women's freestyle, taking home the bronze for the United States. Amy defeated Valentina Brik from Russia in a hard fought bout. With 10 seconds left Amy took down Brik to take the bronze for USA. Helen Maroulis (55kg/121lbs) also took home the bronze for the winged foot, defeating Karima Sanchez from Spain.

The Lucky number was seven on June 11th & 12th in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The NYAC wrestling team kicked of 2010 withseven United States world team members. The state of IOWA is a wrestling powerhouse. It's only fitting that Brent Metcalf would make his first freestyle world team appearance for the NYAC in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Metcalf prevailed in one of the most exciting matches of the night when he downed Jared Frayer, his former Hawkeye assistant coach, in three matches to win the freestyle finals at 66kg. This three match war came down to the 30 second clinch. Brent sized the victory making his first Team USA debut. Brent said "It’s what you aim for – a chance to take on the best wrestlers in the World. That’s what I’m shooting for, world and Olympic titles. I’m ready to take the next step.”

Next up was JD Bergman against 2009 world team member and world quarter-finalist Jake Varner. JD dismantled the returning champ in two straight matches to make Team USA in freestyle at 96kg.

2009 84kg world silver medalist Jake Herbert was up next. If Jake wins, he would be the only returning freestyle world team member for team USA from 2009. Keith Gavin came out aggressively winning the first match. Jake dug deep and came back in the next two match series to put away Gavin, ending his world team hopes.The king of the mat, Jake Herbert, is back on the world stage for team USA in 2010.

Greco Roman was up next. Spencer Mango dominated Jermain Hodge from the US Army World Class Athlete Program in two periods to make another world team. Jake Fisher (74kg) had his sights on making his first world team appearance. With superior technique, Jake dominated Steve Forest from the US Marines. The anchor for the NYAC Greco Roman team was Justin Ruiz. He would face RC Johnson, returning 2009 world team member, in the finals. Justin Ruiz showed why he is one of the best in the world, taking RC down at will and gut wrenching his opponent to victory.

In women's freestyle, Kristie Davis put on a great show for the crowd breezing thorough opponent after opponent before dismantling her female opponent Erin Clodgo in the final to earn a spot on the 2010 world team. Kristie has won nine medals for Team USA in 2010. She could win her 10th medal, putting another stamp on her NYAC wrestling legacy.

The NYAC had one of most dominant performance ever at the world team trials, putting an exclamation point on a dominant season and creating a new chapter in NYAC Wrestling. This was the first time in decades we put more USA world team members on Team USA than any other Club.


2010 world team members

Club World Team Finish: NYAC 7, Sunkist 6, Gator 3, Army 3 Nittany Lion 1, Air Force 1.

Individual Score Card Reads: 7 Champions, 12 Finalist, 19 National Team members

NYAC Team USA Gold: Brent Metcalf 66kg Freestyle, Jake Herbert 84kg Freestyle, JD Bergman 96kg Freestyle, , Spencer Mango 55kg Greco Roman, Jake Fisher 74kg Greco Roman, Justin Ruiz 96kg Greco Roman, Kriste Davis 67kg Women's Freestyle.  

National Team Silver: Angel Escobedo 55kg Freestyle, Andrew Howe 74kg Freestyle, Amy Whitbeck 51kg Womens Freestyle, Helen Mouralis 55kg Womens Freestyle, Veronica Carlson 63kg Womens Freestyle.

National Team Bronze: Josh Churrella 66kg Mens freestyle, Ellis Coleman 66kg Greco Roman,Cheney Haight 84kg Greco Roman, Rob Smith 96kg Greco Roman, Brandon Rupp 120kg Greco Roman, Sara Fulp-Allen 48kg Women's Freestyle, Leigh Jaynes 55kg Women's Freestyle.


2010 Nationals

The freestyle team  captured The Division 1 Team title, ending the 28-year winning streak of the Sunkist at the Asics US Open National Championships in Cleveland, Ohio on April 24th. Bill Farrel established our NYAC wrestling legacy. Sonny expanded our program, adding women's freestyle wrestling. Bruce Baumgartner and Doug Blubaugh made us legends. The NYAC wrestling team is now establishing their own legend.  

Champions rise to occasions on the biggest stage. We had a club record of eight individual titles. Five of those titles came from our Greco Roman team which put on one of the most dominant performances ever at a national championship, claiming five out of the seven individual national titles handed out in Greco Roman.

US Olympian and 2009 US World Team member Spencer Mango had an epic  battle in the finals at 55kg. His opponent Jermaine Hodge from The US Army took him to three periods. With five seconds left on the clock, Spencer Mango turned his opponent earning two points to take home the first national title home for the winged foot.

Jake Fisher took home the next Greco Roman title with a victory at the 74kg weight class. Cheney Haight had to beat Chas Betts, 2009 US world team member, if he wanted the honor of national champion. It came down to three periods. With 10 seconds left on the clock, Cheney hit a front headlock that shocked the nation and earned him his first national title.

Justin Ruiz, our world bronze medalist, buzz sawed his way through the 96kg weight class en route to becoming a national champion. Brandon Rupp dominated his opponent at heavyweight national title in Greco Roman.

In freestyle, we sent six to the finals. We know we have a special opportunity in front of us. We need to come away with three champions to take home the trophy and end the Sunkist Kids 28 year win streak. Al Oerter's words "Great things are expected of you when you wear the winged foot" resonates with our wrestling team before they step on the mat. In sports you never now who will rise to the occasion.

Theodore Roosevelt once said: "It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

Both Trent and Travis Paulson were national champions at different weight divisions in 2009. The media expected to have their twin match up for the 2010 title. But, Andrew Howe had other plans. Andrew beat Travis Paulson, the #1 seed in the semi-finals, with three single takedowns in the third period to put him into the finals. Twins have a special connection to each other, so when Andrew took the stage against Trent we knew it would be a epic battle. Andrew found a way to come back and beat Trent in the third period. Howe defeated Paulson and earned himself a national title for the New York Athletic Club.

The team score is tied as we head into 84kg weight class. Its up to Jake Herbert to clinch the victory. The best thing about Jake is not just his desire and passion to be a champion, it's his ability to rise to the occasion when title is on the line. Jake beat Bryce Hassman with a single leg take down in the third period to put away the match, clinching the team title and writing a new chapter in NYAC wrestling history.

JD Bergman, our winged foot warrior at 96kg had one of the most anticipated matches of the evening. JD would face Jake Varner, four-time NCAA Finalist and 2009 US World Team member. JD would have to go through Varner if he wanted to be the 2010 national champion. With laser sharp technique, JD dominated Varner in the third period to claim the tile.

Andrew Howe took home the Outstanding Wrestler Award for the freestyle tournament. Cheney Haight took home the Outstanding Wrestler Award for Greco Roman. This is the second year in a row our wrestlers have took on the MOW in freestyle and Greco Roman.

The Score Card reads: 8 Gold, 7 Silver and 3 Bronze. Nationals Champions: Jake Herbert, Andrew Howe, JD Bergman, Spencer Mango, Jake Fisher, Cheney Haight, Justin Ruiz, and Brandon Rupp. Silver: Angel Escobedo, Josh Churrella, Bryce Hassman, Mary Kelly, Helen Mouralis, Amy Whiteback.  Bronze: Ryan Mango, Sara Fulp-Allen, Veronica Carlson

For more information about NYAC wrestling please contact Noel Thompson  nyacwrestling@gmail.com.