Six EAP freestyle wrestlers to compete in Roman Dmitriev International in Yakutsk, Russia, March 8-10

Aaron Brooks hits a leg attack at the 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial International.


Six talented freestyle athletes from USA Wrestling’s Elite Accelerator Program (EAP) will compete in a major UWW Junior tournament in the Siberia section of Russia this weekend, entering the Roman Dmitriev Memorial International in Yakutsk, Russia, March 8-10.


The EAP is a progressive developmental movement based at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., aimed at molding young wrestlers into future World and Olympic champions.


Included on the team will be a pair of past age-group World champions, 2017 Cadet World champion and 2018 Junior World silver medalist Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md./Titan Mercury WC/EAP) at 86 kg/189 lbs. and 2017 Cadet World champion and 2018 Cadet World silver medalist Daniel (Greg) Kerkvliet (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Titan Mercury WC/EAP) at 97 kg/213 lbs.


Brooks is coming off a pair of Senior international gold medals so far this season, winning titles at the Dave Schultz Memorial International in Colorado Springs, Colo. in January and the Flatz Open in Austria in February.


Three other EAP athletes on the tour to Russia were also champions at the Flatz Open: Julian Tagg (Mayfield Heights, Ohio/EAP) at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., Gabriel Tagg (Mayfield Heights, Ohio /EAP) at 65 kg/143 lbs. and DJ Shannon (East St. Louis, Mo./EAP) at 79 kg/154 lbs. Gabriel Tagg will wrestle at 61 kg/134 lbs. in Russia, and Shannon will drop to 74 kg/163 lbs. there.


Also competing for Team USA will be Job Greenwood (Livermore, Colo./EAP) at 61 kg/134 lbs.


The EAP program includes athletes who are in high school or have graduated high school but are focusing on freestyle before going to college. Five of the wrestlers competing in Russia have signed with NCAA Div. I programs: Gabriel Tagg (North Carolina), Greenwood (Wyoming), Shannon (Illinois), Brooks (Penn State), Kerkvliet (Ohio State).


Coaching the USA team is National Freestyle Developmental Coach Kevin Jackson, a 1992 Olympic champion and two-time World champion athlete, who works with the EAP wrestlers at the Olympic Training Center.

ROMAN DMITRIEV MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL

At Yakutsk, Russia, March 8-10


U.S. men’s freestyle roster

57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Julian Tagg, Mayfield Heights, Ohio (EAP)

61 kg/134 lbs. – Job Greenwood, Livermore, Colo. (EAP)

61 kg/134 lbs. – Gabriel Tagg, Mayfield Heights, Ohio (EAP)

74 kg/163 lbs. – DJ Shannon, East St. Louis, Mo. (EAP)

86 kg/189 lbs. - Aaron Brooks, Hagerstown, Md. (Titan Mercury WC/EAP)

97 kg/213 lbs. - Daniel (Greg) Kerkvliet, Inver Grove Heights, Minn. (Titan Mercury WC/EAP)

National Freestyle Developmental Coach – Kevin Jackson, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Referee – Nathan Carmichael, Greenwood, Ind.

Medical – Ryan Palmer, Carthage, Mo.

Schedule (14 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)

Friday, March 8

10:00 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (57 kg, 65 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 97 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Semifinals (57 kg, 65 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 97 kg)

Saturday, March 9

10:00 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (61 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 92 kg, 125 kg)

10:00 a.m. – Repechage (57 kg, 65 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 97 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals (57 kg, 65 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 97 kg)

Sunday, March 10

11:00 a.m. – Repechage (61 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 92 kg, 125 kg)

2:00 p.m. – Finals (61 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 92 kg, 125 kg)