DALLAS, TEXAS -- A trio of wrestlers with Central Michigan University ties
competed at the Olympic trials, held June 22-24 at Reunion Arena, and
one finished fourth.
Chippewa assistant coach Shawn Charles competed at the trials for the
second time in his career, wrapping up with a fourth-place finish in the
138.75-pound weight class.
Charles beat Troy Steiner, 4-3, in his first match on Friday to advance
to the third-place bout. Eric Larkin posted a 5-4 overtime victory over
Charles to take third place.
CMU graduate assistant coach and former athlete Casey Cunningham
appeared in the trials for the first time in the 152-pound freestyle
class. Cunningham, who was the NCAA champion at 157-pounds in 1999,
opened the tourney with a 6-2 victory over Kenny Ramsey. He then fell to
Pat Santoro, 6-2, in the second round. Cunningham beat Adam DiSabato,
6-5, in the consolation round but bowed out of the competition with a
9-3 loss to Terry Steiner.
Current Chippewa wrestler Jason Mester (Mineral Point, WI) won the
Olympic regionals at Iowa to gain a berth into the trials. Mester, who
is also in the 138.75-pound freestyle bracket, was pinned by T.J.
Jaworsky in :52 seconds in the first round. Eric Larkin defeated Mester,
10-0, to knock him out of the trials.