April 8, 2003
University of Minnesota freshman wrestler Cole Konrad (New London, Wis./Freedom HS) captured the freestyle and Greco-Roman titles at 120 kg last weekend at the 2003 FILA Junior National Championships/Junior World Team Trials in Chattanooga, Tenn. Konrad, a heavyweight for the Golden Gophers, will now represent the United States in the Junior World Championships, slated for August 22-29, in Istanbul, Turkey.
Konrad, wrestling for Minnesota Storm, posted a 4-0 record in freestyle, defeating Ty Watterson of Orange Crush, 5-4, in the title match. In Greco-Roman, Konrad went 3-0, pinning Cody Parker of Oregon in 5:04 in the championship bout. Konrad was one of only two double-champions.
Konrad was one of eight Golden Gopher freshmen to compete in the USA Wrestling event. In freestyle, Minnesota Storm had one runner-up (Andrew Domingues - 55 kg), one fourth-place finisher (Danny Williams - 66 kg), one seventh-place wrestler (Thomas McAlpine - 66 kg) and one eighth-place finisher (Willy Holst - 60 kg).
In Greco-Roman, the team had one sixth-place finisher (Domingues), one fifth-place wrestler (Holst), two seventh-place wrestlers (Williams; Mike Schmidt - 84 kg) and one eighth-place finisher (Andrew Strand - 60 kg).
Only wrestlers born 1983-85 were eligible to compete in the event. Wrestlers who are the champions in both freestyle and Greco-Roman will be asked to choose one style to compete at the Junior World Championships.