ASICS announces 30th annual All-American team
Irvine, CA – May 20, 2015 – ASICS America Corporation is pleased to announce the 30th annual ASICS All-America Wrestling Team and honors a record five repeat athletes as members of the First Team. The ASICS All-America Team, selected by a nationwide panel of wrestling experts, is the only national all-star team for which wrestlers enrolled in all four high-school grades are eligible.
Members of the First Team, who earned a combined 36 State and National Prep Championships, as well as the ASICS Wrestler of the Year, will be honored prior to the finals of the ASICS Vaughan USA Wrestling Junior & Cadet National Championships in July in Fargo, ND, of which ASICS is the title sponsor.
“This team represents the very best wrestlers in our schools today,” said Neil Duncan of TW Promotions wrestling agency for ASICS America. “We are so proud to have these young men, with their talent and work ethic, representing us. They clearly have the potential to be the World and Olympic champions of the future.”
The ASICS America All-America Team includes eight wrestlers at each of the 14 high school weight classes – the First, Second, and Third Teams and five Honorable Mention selections. To be considered, a wrestler must have competed during the scholastic season, and all team members were selected at the weight class at which they competed, or would have competed, in their state tournament or the National Prep Championships this year.
Senior Zahid Valencia (182) of Bellflower, CA St. John Bosco earned his third First Team selection. Four other wrestlers, senior Devin Brown (113) and sophomore Spencer Lee (120) of Murrysville, PA Franklin Regional, senior Nick Piccinnini (126) of East Setauket, NY Ward Melville and senior Lance Benick (195) of Fridley, MN Totino-Grace, round out the group of repeat selections. Piccinnini and Benick finished their high school careers as four-time state champions.
Other notable selections to the First Team include Junior Mark Hall (170) of Apple Valley, MN, a five-time state champion, as well as five three-time champions.
In addition to their 36 scholastic titles, the 14 First Team members combined to post one Junior National and eight Cadet National titles, along with three World Team appearances. The Second Team matched the First Team with 36 state titles, including three four-time champions, and topped the First Team with four Junior National and five Cadet National titles, adding two World Team berths. The Third Team (31 titles) boasts one Junior National and eight Cadet National crowns, as well as a World Team berth.
Of the five repeat First Team selections, Valencia previously earned First Team honors at 106 in 2012 and at 132 last year. Brown was selected to the First Team last year at 106, Lee at 113 and Piccinnini at 120, while Benick earned his second straight selection at 195.
In 2012, Valencia made history by becoming the first freshman ever to earn First Team honors. This year, St. John Bosco teammate Cade Olivas (106) made it four straight years a freshman earned a First Team selection. Three juniors, two-time Illinois champion Isaiah White (152) of Oak Park-River Forest, three-time Ohio champion Alex Marinelli (160) of St. Paris Graham and Pennsylvania champion Jordan Wood (220) of Boyertown, joined Olivas, Lee and Hall to bring the number of First Team underclassmen to six.
Brown and Lee were joined by senior Michael Kemerer (145) to give Franklin Regional three First Team selections. Pennsylvania’s four selections made the Keystone State one of four states with multiple First Team selections. California (Olivas and Valencia), Illinois (White and senior Michael Johnson (285) of Lombard Montini), and Minnesota (Hall and Benick) each had two selections. Completing the First Team: seniors Jared Prince (132) of Palm Harbor (FL) University and Ke-Shawn Hayes (138) of Kansas City (MO). Park Hill.
Thirteen high schools had multiple wrestlers selected. Franklin Regional had four selections, and Graham, Montini, Oak Park-River-Forest, St. John Bosco, Blairstown Township (NJ) Blair Academy, and Kingston (PA) Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School each had three. Apple Valley, Bethlehem (PA) Catholic, Elyria (OH), Owings Mills (MD) McDonogh School, Runnells (IA) Southeast Polk, and Stillwater (OK) each had two selections.
Pennsylvania placed 22 wrestlers on the squad, Illinois 12 and Ohio 10 to lead all states. Pennsylvania placed eight on the top three teams, with California, Iowa and New Jersey each claiming four. New Jersey had eight overall selections, followed by Minnesota (seven) and California, Iowa, Michigan and Oklahoma (five). The 112 wrestlers selected come from 28 states.
See below for the full list of selections for the ASICS All-America First, Second and Third Teams as well as Honorable Mentions.
For more information, contact Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling at (719) 598-8181 and to learn more about ASICS America Corporation, please visit: http://www.ASICSAmerica.com.
2015 ASICS All-America Team
First Team
106 Cade Olivas, Fr , St. John Bosco HS, Bellflower, CA
113 Devin Brown*, Sr, Franklin Regional HS, Murrysville, PA
120 Spencer Lee*, So, Franklin Regional HS, Murrysville, PA
126 Nick Piccinnini*, Sr, Ward Melville HS, East Setauket, NY
132 Jared Prince, Sr, University HS , Palm Harbor, FL
138 Ke-Shawn Hayes, Sr , Park Hill HS, Kansas City, MO
145 Michael Kemerer, Sr, Franklin Regional HS, Murrysville, PA
152 Isaiah White, Jr, O.P.-River Forest HS, Oak Park, IL
160 Alex Marinelli, Jr, Graham HS, St. Paris, OH
170 Mark Hall , Jr, Apple Valley HS, Apple Valley, MN
182 Zahid Valencia*, Sr, St. John Bosco HS, Bellflower, CA
195 Lance Benick*, Sr, Totino-Grace HS, Fridley, MN
220 Jordan Wood, Jr, Boyertown HS, Boyertown, PA
285 Michael Johnson, Sr , Montini HS, Lombard, IL
* – denotes repeat selection
Second Team
106 Roman Bravo-Young, Fr, Sunnyside HS, Tucson, AZ
113 Danny Vega, Jr, Ironwood Ridge HS, Oro Valley, AZ
120 Nick Suriano, Jr, Bergen Catholic HS, Oradell, NJ
126 Chad Red , Jr, New Palestine HS, New Palestine, IN
132 A.C. Headlee, Sr, Waynesburg Cent. HS, Waynesburg, PA
138 Matthew Kolodzik, Sr, Blair Academy, Blairstown Township, NJ
145 Max Thomsen, Sr, Union HS, LaPorte City, IA
152 Vincenzo Joseph, Sr, Central Catholic HS, Pittsburgh, PA
160 David McFadden, Sr, DePaul HS, Wayne, NJ
170 Anthony Valencia, Sr, St. John Bosco HS, Bellflower, CA
182 Myles Martin, Sr, McDonogh School, Owings Mills, MD
195 Bobby Steveson, Sr, Apple Valley HS, Apple Valley, MN
220 Austin Myers, Sr, Campbell County HS, Alexandria, KY
285 Zack Chakonis, Sr, Don Bosco Prep. Sch., Ramsey, NJ
Third Team
106 Gavin Teasdale, Fr, Jefferson-Morgan HS, Jefferson, PA
113 Justin Mejia, So, Clovis HS, Clovis, CA
120 Daton Fix , So, Charles Page HS, Sand Springs, OK
126 Rudy Yates, Jr, Carl Sandburg HS, Orland Park, IL
132 Kaid Brock, Sr, Stillwater HS, Stillwater, OK
138 Sam Krivus, Sr, Hempfield HS, Greensburg, PA
145 Fredy Stroker, Sr, Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, IA
152 Jordan Kutler, Sr, Blair Academy, Blairstown Township, NJ
160 Bryce Steiert, Sr, Waverly-Shell Rock HS Waverly, IA
170 Logan Massa, Sr, St. Johns HS, St. Johns, MI
182 Keegan Moore, Jr, Jackson Co. Cent. HS, Jackson, MN
195 Samuel S. Colbray, Jr, Hermiston HS, Hermiston, OR
220 Kenneth Brinson, Sr, Marist School , Atlanta, GA
285 Jacob Marnin, Sr, Southeast Polk HS, Runnells, IA
Honorable Mention (listed in alphabetical order)
106: Anthony Madrigal, Fr, Oak Park-River Forest HS, Oak Park, IL; Drew Mattin, So, Delta HS, Delta, OH; Jacori Teemer, Fr, Long Beach HS, Lido Beach, NY; Jonathan Tropea, Jr, St. Joseph HS, Montvale, NJ; Real Woods, Fr, Montini HS, Lombard, IL.
113: Austin Gomez, So, Glenbard North HS, Carol Stream, IL; Jabari Moody, Sr, Rich Central HS, Olympia Fields, IL; Mitch Moore, Fr, Graham HS, St. Paris, OH; Jason Renteria, So, Oak Park-River Forest HS, Oak Park, IL; Jose Tapia, So, Capital HS, Santa Fe, NM.
120: Yianni Diakomihalis, So, Hilton HS, Hilton, NY; Jack Mueller, Jr, Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School, Kingston, PA; Kyle Norstrem, Jr, Brandon HS, Brandon, FL; Elijah Oliver, Sr, Washington HS, Washington, IL; Tyler Warner, Jr, Claymont HS, Uhrichsville, OH.
126: Sean DeShazer, Sr, Wichita Heights HS, Wichita, KS; Luke Karam, Jr, Bethlehem Catholic HS, Bethlehem, PA; Mitchell McKee, Jr, St. Michael-Albertville HS, Albertville, MN; Jose Rodriguez, Sr, Perry HS, Massillon, OH; Israel Saavedra, Jr, Modesto HS, Modesto, CA.
132: Cameron Kelly, Sr, Bellbrook HS, Bellbrook, OH; Dylan Lucas, Sr, Plainview HS, Plainview, OK; Lincoln Olson, Sr, Davison HS, Davison, MI; George Phillippi, Jr, Derry HS, Derry, PA; Luke Pletcher, Jr, Greater Latrobe HS, Latrobe, PA.
138: Cameron Coy, So, Penn-Trafford HS, Harrison City, PA; Davion Jeffries, Sr, Broken Arrow HS, Broken Arrow, OK; Nate Limmex, Sr, Catholic Central HS, Grand Rapids, MI; Alex Rich, Sr, Crescent Valley HS, Corvallis, OR; Will Roark, Sr, Seneca HS, Seneca, MO.
145: Patrick Duggan, Sr, Cumberland Valley HS, Mechanicsburg, PA; Griffin Parriott, Jr,
New Prague HS, New Prague, MN; Bryce Parson, Sr, Lewiston HS, Lewiston, ID; Jordan Shearer, Sr, West Fargo HS, West Fargo, ND; Vincent Turk, Sr, Montini HS, Lombard, IL.
152: Brady Berge, Jr, Kasson-Mantorville HS, Kasson, MN; Cameron Harrell, Sr, McDonogh School, Owings Mills, MD; Kyle Lawson, So, Graham HS, St. Paris, OH; Neal Richards, Sr, Matoaca HS, Ettrick, VA; Jake Wentzel, Jr, South Park HS, South Park, PA.
160: Myles Amine, Sr, Detroit Catholic Central HS, Novi, MI; Connor Flynn, Sr, Francis Howell HS, St. Charles, MO; Josh Shields, Sr, Franklin Regional HS, Murrysville, PA; Cole Walter, Sr, Mifflinburg HS, Mifflinburg, PA; Chris Weiler, Jr, Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School, Kingston, PA.
170: Fox Baldwin, Sr, Osceola HS, Kissimmee, FL; Beau Breske, Jr, Hartford HS, Hartford, WI; Brett Bye, Sr, Vermillion HS, Vermillion, SD; Nick Reenan, Jr, Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School, Kingston, PA; Joe Smith, Sr, Stillwater HS, Stillwater, OK.
182: Ben Darmstadt, Jr, Elyria HS, Elyria, OH; Taylor Lujan, Sr, Carrollton HS, Carrollton, GA; Kollin Moore, Sr, Norwayne HS, Creston, OH; Kellan Stout, Sr, Mount Lebanon HS, Mount Lebanon, PA; Nathan Traxler, Jr, Marmion Academy, Aurora, IL.
195: Andrew Marsden, Sr, Crystal Lake Central HS, Crystal Lake, IL; Dylan Reynolds, Sr, Saegertown HS, Saegertown, PA; Hunter Ritter, Sr, John Carroll HS, Bel Air, MD; Jacob Seely, Sr, Fruita Monument HS, Fruita Monument, CO; Tyree Sutton, Sr, Keansburg HS, Keansburg, NJ.
220: Ethan Andersen, Jr, Southeast Polk HS, Runnells, IA; Josh Colegrove, Sr, Lowell HS, Lowell, MI; Patrick Grayson, Sr, Colonial Forge HS, Stafford, VA; Youssef Hemida, Sr, Mamaroneck HS, Mamaroneck, NY; David Showunmi, Sr, Blair Academy, Blairstown Township, NJ.
285: Gage Cervenka, Sr, Emerald HS, Greenwood, SC; Andrew Dunn, Sr, Bethlehem Catholic HS, Bethlehem, PA; Osawaru Odizhiguwa, Jr, David Douglas HS, Portland, OR; Tate Orndorff, Sr, University HS, Spokane, WA; Kevin Vough, So, Elyria HS, Elyria, OH.
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About ASICS
Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body,” is an old Latin phrase from which ASICS is derived and the fundamental platform on which the brand still stands. The company was founded more than 60 years ago by Kihachiro Onitsuka and is now a leading designer and manufacturer of performance athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.ASICS.com.