Hazewinkel, Ware Claim U.S. Open Titles

April 9, 2011

CLEVELAND -- Two former Oklahoma wrestling stars, Sam Hazewinkel and Teyon Ware, won U.S. Open Freestyle titles at 121 and 145.5 pounds, respectively, and are No. 1 seeds entering the final trials, which will take place in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma Freestyle Club member Hazewinkel won the U.S. Open Freestyle national title at 55 kilograms after defeating Troy Nickerson, 6-0, 4-3, in the finals.

Hazewinkel, a four-time All-American at OU from 2004-07, is now ranked No. 1 at 121 pounds in the United States and is poised to make the 2011 world team after training with Sunkist Kids and the Oklahoma Wrestling Freestyle Club.

In the finals, Hazewinkel came out strong against Nickerson to win the freestyle title at 55 kg/121 lbs. Hazewinkel won his first U.S. Open title in freestyle after winning Greco-Roman titles in this event in 2005 and 2007.

OU head assistant coach Sammie Henson, one of four Sunkist Kids coaches, along with assistant coach Michael Lightner were instrumental in helping Hazewinkel make a change from Greco-Roman to freestyle. Hazewinkel joined the OU freestyle club in 2009 and has since become a dominant figure in freestyle.

Additionally, another four-time OU All-American, Ware, was named the Outstanding Wrestler in freestyle after the two-time NCAA champion and No. 8 seed dropped two-time World medalist Cary Kolat in the freestyle finals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Wrestling fans can watch both OU wrestlers compete at the world team trials in Oklahoma City on June 9-11.

FREESTYLE FINALS

55 kg/121 lbs.

Sam Hazewinkel (Sunkist Kids) dec. Troy Nickerson (New York AC), 6-0, 4-3

60 kg/132 lbs.

Reece Humphrey (New York AC) dec. Shawn Bunch (Gator WC), 0-4, 1-0, 2-0

66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Teyon Ware (Nittany Lion WC) dec. Cary Kolat (North Carolina RTC), 0-1, 5-0, 1-1

74 kg/163 lbs.

Jordan Burroughs (Sunkist Kids) dec. Nick Marable (Sunkist Kids), 0-3, 1-0, 3-0

84 kg/185 lbs.

Jake Herbert (New York AC) dec. Keith Gavin (Lehigh Valley AC), 2-2, 3-2

96 kg/211.5 lbs.