By Molly Irene Olmstead molly-olmstead@uiowa.edu Nick Simmons simply didn’t have words. Disappointment, failure, heartbroken — those were the ones he could choke out around the sobs. He lost his men’s freestyle 55-kilogram Olympic berth because of a handful of clinches and video replays. He lost his spot on the U.S. Olympic team because of the [...]

By Molly Irene Olmstead molly-olmstead@uiowa.edu Note from the author: There aren’t a lot of women in the wrestling press row; sometimes I’m the only one. This story developed because I started thinking that there are very few reporters covering women’s wrestling in America, and barely any female reporters who do. What kinds of stories are [...]

By Cody Goodwin cody-goodwin@uiowa.edu Perfection is supposed to be the impossible, the unattainable. It’s something all wrestlers strive for, but can never achieve. Even the great Cael Sanderson, who drew up the blueprint for the undefeated collegiate career, will admit to his flaws. His record may showcase perfection, but that doesn’t mean he has never [...]

By Molly Irene Olmstead molly-olmstead@uiowa.edu 48 kg: Clarissa Chun (Sunkist Kids) vs. Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist Kids) Chun earned a free pass to the finals series after she won the 2012 Pan American Olympic Qualifier this year. She qualified the United States’ 48-kilogram weight for the Olympics at this event. The Hawaii native placed fifth in [...]

By Sam Louwagie samuel-louwagie@uiowa.edu Travis Paulson’s mother cried tears of happiness when he told her the news. He had decided to wrestle at 84 kilograms in this weekend’s Olympic trials. His twin brother, Trent Paulson, was competing at 74 kilograms. “She was really happy,” Travis Paulson said of his mom’s reaction. “It breaks my mom’s [...]

By Cody Goodwin cody-goodwin@uiowa.edu The DI previews Sunday night’s Greco-Roman best-of-three finals matches. 60 kg: Joe Betterman (Sunkist Kids) vs. Ellis Coleman (NYAC) Betterman entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed in this weight class. He rightfully won the class last year at the 2011 World Team Trials, and has claimed the U.S. Open Championship in [...]

By Cody Goodwin cody-goodwin@uiowa.edu Ellis Coleman (NYAC) and Ben Provisor (Sunkist Kids) have been talking about this moment for months. The young Greco-Roman wrestlers have been living together in Colorado Springs, Colo., at the Olympic Training Center. They’ve been training day-in and day-out together for this day — the day to prove to the rest [...]

By Cody Goodwin cody-goodwin@uiowa.edu There was no guarantee for Ellis Coleman and Ben Provisor. There was only potential. And after three rounds of wrestling and four tough matches between them, both Coleman (NYAC) and Provisor (Sunkist Kids) have qualified for Sunday night’s Olympic trials best-of-three finals. Coleman, 20, reached the finals  at 60 kilograms after [...]