Four U.S. World Team spots determined in women’s wrestling at South Point

Four members of the 2017 U.S. World Team in women’s wrestling were determined Friday during the Championship Series finals at the Women’s World Team Trials at South Point Arena.

2016 World silver medalist Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) made her fifth World Team with a dominant two-match sweep over Francesca Giorgio (West Lawn, Pa./Simon Fraser), winning both bouts by technical falls.

2016 Olympian Haley Augello (Lockport, Ill./New York AC) made her first Senior World Championships Team, defeating three-time World Team member Whitney Conder (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) in two straight matches by scores of 8-5 and 5-4.

Two young stars earned their first berth on U.S. Senior World Teams, Mallory Velte (Sacramento, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Tamyra Mensah (Katy, Texas/Titan Mercury WC) at 69 kg/152 lbs.

Mensah defeated two-time Olympian and seven-time World Team member Elena Pirozhkova (New York, N.Y./Titan Mercury WC) in a two-match sweep, ending Pirozhkova’s streak of nine straight U.S. World and Olympic Teams.

Velte won two straight matches over 2017 U.S. Open champion Jennifer Page (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC) by scores of 10-8 and 2-2 (criteria).

The final four weight classes will be contested Saturday, with 48 kg, 55 kg, 58 kg and 75 kg up for grabs.

GRECO-ROMAN

Four of the eight Greco-Roman 2017 World Team spots were determined Friday at South Point Arena.

World Team members at 80 kg/187 lbs., 98 kg/215 lbs. and 130 kg/286 lbs. were decided in two matches, while it took three matches to determine the World Team member at 66 kg/145 lbs.

The rivalry between Ellis Coleman (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) and Alejandro Sancho (Miami, Fla./New York AC) continued, with Coleman winning two of three matches.

With the win, Coleman earned a spot on the U.S. World Team for the second time. His first trip to the World Championships came in 2013. He also represented the U.S. in the London Olympics in 2012.

2016 Junior World bronze medalist G’Angelo Hancock (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC/Sunkist Kids) made his first Senior World Team, defeating Hayden Zillmer (Minneapolis/Minnesota Storm) in straight matches at 98 kg.

2016 Olympian and now-four-time World Team member Robby Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) proved he still is the man at 130 kg, beating out Toby Erickson (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) for the World Team spot.

At 80 kg, Cheney Haight (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) defeated John Stefanowicz (Hubert, N.C./Marines) in two matches.

The remaining four Greco-Roman weights (59 kg, 71 kg, 75 kg and 85 kg) will be contested starting at 9 a.m. Saturday.