May 28, 2008

Jacob Ison (Batavia, Ohio) competed at the University World Team Trials last weekend in Colorado Springs, Colo., and took fourth place in the 84 kilogram bracket.

The Bobcat sophomore earned a position at the World Team Trials by taking sixth at the Greco University National Championships earlier in the spring. The top eight moved on to the team trials.

Ison compiled a 1-2 record at the event, defeating Minnesota's Phil Meinert, a sophomore with the Golden Gophers.

Ison began the tournament against Air Force's Peter Hicks, who prevailed on a pin the second round. Ison defeated Meinert in the consolation semifinals on a 1-1, 6-0 decision. In the wrestleback semifinals in the next stage, Ison was defeated on a 0-4,4-0,2-1 decision by Jeremy Pederson of the USMC.

The winner of the bracket, Chas Betts, earned a spot on the United States University World Team and will compete in the World Championships in Thessaloniki, Greece, from July 9-13. The World Championships pits collegiate wrestlers from different countries against one another in an Olympics-type setting.

Betts defeated Army's Brad Ahearn on an injury default, but in other weight brackets the finals were determined in a best of three match series. There were six weight classes in the University Greco Nationals Tournament - 55 kg, 60 kg, 66 kg, 74 kg, 84 kg, 96 kg, and 120 kg.