Doors to Bender Arena will Open at 6 p.m. for Team USA vs. Belarus Wrestling Showcase

Feb. 11, 2008

WASHINGTON - The main doors to American University's Bender Arena will open at 6 p.m. this Thursday, Feb. 14, for the international freestyle wrestling showcase between Team USA and Belarus, Department of Athletics and Recreation officials announced Monday. The showcase, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., will feature several of the world's top freestyle wrestlers.

The U.S. lineup is headlined by current No. 1's Daniel Cormier and Mike Zadick. Cormier won the 96 kg bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships and is a five-time U.S. Nationals Champion. Zadick was the 60 kg silver medalist at the 2007 Pan American Games and was the 2006 and 2007 World Team Trials Champion.

Former Eagle and current AU Assistant Coach Muzaffar Abdurakhmanov will also be wrestling for Team USA. Abdurakhmanov capped off his career at AU with a fourth-place finish and All-America honor at the 2006 NCAA Championships and has continued his career by competing internationally while acting as a full-time assistant at American.

The Belarus team will not be lacking talent of its own as former World bronze medalists Rizvan Gadzhiev and Ruslan Sheikhov as well as 2007 European Champion Albert Batyrov will be in action.

Tickets to Thursday's dual are on sale now and can be purchased through the AU Ticket Office. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors, children 18 and under and groups of 20 or more. To purchase your tickets call 202-885-TIXX or click here.

Thursday's showcase will be preceded by a wrestling clinic hosted by Brad Vering at 4 p.m. in the Marilyn Meltzer Wrestling Room located inside of Bender Arena. Vering was a silver medalist at the 2007 World Championships and led the U.S. Greco-Roman team to its first ever World Championship. Vering will be on hand to lead clinic participants through a series of drills and techniques aimed to help develop sound wrestling fundamentals.

A pre-ordered ticket to the showcase will get you into the clinic but space is limited and several spots have already been taken. To reserve your place in the clinic please call 202-885-TIXX.

Parking for clinic participants will be available in the Nebraska Lot on AU's main campus. To view an aerial map of AU, click here. Parking in parking garage adjacent to Bender Arena will be open to the general public after 5 p.m.