Precin Qualifies for 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials
NU volunteer assistant coach is one step closer to 2012 Olympic Games, placing second at Las Vegas qualifier
EVANSTON,
Ill. – Northwestern volunteer assistant coach and three-time
All-American Brandon Precin qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team
Trials with his second place finish in the men's freestyle 55 kg/121
lbs. division at the Olympic Trials Qualifier in Las Vegas, Nev., over
the weekend. The Olympic Team Trials take place April 21-22 in Iowa
City, Iowa, and will determine who wrestles at the 2012 Olympic Games
in London, England.
Precin quickly advanced to the semifinals of
Saturday's tournament by pinning Jeremy McLean in 41 seconds during his
first bout of the day. In the semifinals, he met Shawn Contos (Nittany
Lion Wrestling Club) and registered a 3-0, 1-0 shut out. Precin then
faced Ben Kjar, who was a 2011 All-American out of Utah Valley at 125
lbs. and has already qualified for the Olympic Trials, in the finals
and fell 3-2, 6-0 to finish second.
Precin recently turned his
attention to freestyle after graduating from Northwestern in 2011. In
his first freestyle competition last April, he placed first at the 2011
ASICS University Nationals. He wrestled in his first overseas
competition back in October, finishing fifth at the Dmitri Korkin
Memorial in Russia. During his NU tenure, Precin compiled a 138-31
overall record to rank third all-time in career wins and was one of
only five three-time All-Americans in school history.
Precin is
one of two former Wildcat wrestlers that will wrestle at the 2012 U.S.
Olympic Team Trials as two-time Northwestern NCAA Champion Jake Herbert
qualified at 84 kg/185 lbs. as a past U.S. World Team member.
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