COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Brad Pataky of Clearfield and the New York Athletic Club earned a spot on the U.S. World University Freestyle Team with a two-match victory over Michael Martinez of the Bronco Wrestling Club May 23 at the FILA University and Junior World Team Trials at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
Pataky, who will be a red-shirt sophomore on the 2008-2009 Penn State mat team, beat Martinez of Laramie, Wyoming, 2-0, 5-2 and 2-2, 4-2 in the best-of-three championship series at 55 kilograms/121 pounds.
The World University Championships are set for July 9-13 in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Joining Pataky on the U.S. team will be Reece Humphrey of Ohio State at 60 kg/132 pounds, former Michigan standout Ryan Churella of the New York AC of 66 kg/145 pounds, Keith Gavin of the New York AC at 74 kg/163 pounds, Jake Herbert of the New York AC at 84 kg/185 pounds, Konrad Dudziak of the New York AC at 96 kg/211.5 pounds and Tervel Dlagney of the Sunkist Kids at 120 kg/264.5 pounds.
Gavin was an NCAA champion for the University of Pittsburgh in March.
Pataky, Humphrey, Gavin, Herbert and Dlagney won titles at the USA Wrestling University Nationals.
Humphrey won at 63 kg/138.75 pounds, a weight not contested at the World Championships. Daniel Dennis of Iowa had ruled at 132, so Humphrey dropped down and beat him 1-0, 4-4 and 6-1, 4-1 for the title after Dennis won the first match 1-0, 3-0.
Churella beat 2008 University Nationals champ Nathaniel Holt of the Bronco WC 1-0, 0-1, 1-0 and 2-0, 4-0 for his berth.
Dlagney, a two-time NCAA Division II champion for Nebraska-Kearney, defeated Penn State heavyweight Aaron Anspach 2-0, 1-0 and 5-3, 6-0 in the championship series.
Pataky, 2007 NCAA champ Herbert (Northwestern) and Dudziak (Duke) did not compete for their college teams during the 2007-08 season, opting for an Olympic red-shirt year.
Next weekend, Pataky will be competing in the U.S. Olympic Freestyle Team Trials in the Las Vegas, Nev., Convention Center.
He qualified by winning the Northeast Regional Qualifier as well as the University Nationals.and the USA Wrestling University Nationals.
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U.S. Army heavyweight Timothy Taylor, a 2000 Clearfield Area High School graduate, was denied a shot at making the U.S. World University Greco-Roman Team when he lost to David Arendt of the U.S. Marines in the Challenge Tournament semifinals.
Arendt beat Taylor 3-3, 1-1, 3-0 and then eliminated the U.S. Army’s James Hollis 3-0, 3-0 at 120 kg/264.5 pounds.
In the championship series, Erik Nye of the Sunkist Kids defeated Arendt 3-0, 1-1 and 1-1, 1-1.
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Penn State recruit Quentin Wright of Bald Eagle Area High School qualified for the 2008 U.S. Junior World Freestyle Team at 74 kg/163 pounds.
The 2008 FILA Junior Nationals champion defeated Andrew Howe of the Overtime School of Wrestling with a 1:40 fall in the first match and a 1-0, 0-1, 4-3 decision in the second bout.
The Junior World Championships will be held July 29 through Aug. 3 in Istanbul, Turkey.
In a duel of New York AC entries, Central Mountain’s Dylan Alton lost in his championship series to Colorado high school star Tyler Graff at 60 kg/132 pounds. The 2007 U.S. Junior World Team 121-pounder and University of Wisconsin recruit came from behind for a 0-1, 3-3, 9-3 win in the first match and then shut out the 2008 Junior Nationals champ 2-0, 6-0 in the second match.
University of Pennsylvania recruit Mark Rappo (Sunkist Kids) of Holland, Pa., won the title at 50 kg/110 pounds by defeating 2008 University Nationals champion Desmond Moore of Penn State 3-0, 6-0 and 4-1, 8-1.
Rappo advanced through the Challenge Tournament with a technical fall over Austin Quarles (Cardinal WC) of Palo Alto, Cal., 6-0, 7-0, and a decision over Cody Pack (Legends of Gold) of Quincy, Cal., 4-1, 3-0.
Andrew Alton of (New York AC) of Lock Haven was 1-2 at that weight. He lost to Jamal Parks (Gator WC) of Stillwater, Okla., 3-0, 0-3 1-0, beat Elijah Naciti (Road Runner Express) of Bakersfield, Cal, 4-4, 6-3, and lost to Mario Mason (Blair) of Morestown, N.J., 2-0, 4-1.
At 120 kg/264.5 pounds, Penn State’s Cameron Wade lost to the Minnesota Storm’s Ben Berhow 2-1, 3-0 in the Challenge Tournament finals.
Wade had beaten Tucker Lane (Sunkist Kids) of Redvale, Colo, 1-0, 2-3, 1-0 to lock up third place overall. 
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