Burroughs Qualifies for FILA Junior World Team

Lincoln-Nebraska All-America wrestler Jordan Burroughs translated his success for the Huskers to the international level on Saturday as he won the 66 kilogram (145.5 pound) division of the FILA Junior World Team Trials in <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Colorado Springs, Colo. <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Burroughs, wrestling in the freestyle division, defeated Michigan’s Kellen Russell in two consecutive sets (6-0, 4-1 in the first and 4-0, 4-0 in the second) to win the best-of-three series and claim a spot on the U.S. world team.

 

“This is a good step towards making the 2012 Olympic team,” Head Coach Mark Manning said. “[FILA World Championships] is a good opportunity to wrestle some of the best kids in the world at his age level.”

 

Burroughs will now travel with the U.S. delegation to the FILA World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, from July 29 to Aug. 3. Manning will also travel with him as a coach for the U.S. team.

 

The Sicklerville, N.J., native qualified for the FILA Junior World Team Trials by winning the FILA Junior National Championships in Las Vegas last month. The national championship automatically qualified him for the finals at the world team trials.

 

Burroughs, a sophomore, claimed his first All-America honors in March with a third-place finish at 149 pounds at the NCAA Championships.