Oklahoma State University Athletics
Kindig Makes Junior World Team
May 23, 2011 | Cowboy Wrestling
May 23, 2011
By Jason Bryant USA Wrestling
As a college freshman, there are plenty of added pressures added to the lives of the everyday teenager. That pressure is amplified if you're a true freshman wrestling for Oklahoma State University.
After being pulled out of redshirt midway through the season and failing to place at the NCAA Division I Championships, Josh Kindig felt he had some work to do.
Kindig emerged as the champion at 66kg on Friday at the 2011 FILA Junior World Team Trials at Franklin Community High School in Franklin, Ind, beating Minnesota's Dylan Ness in a high-scoring two match series.
Kindig, the winner of the FILA Junior Nationals last month in Cleveland, sat out while Ness battled through a tough bracket featuring Destin McCauley, Kaleb Friedley and Colin Shober. After Ness beat McCauley in the challenge tournament final, he earned the right to face Kindig.
The result: A second-period cradle in the second match, giving Kindig the fall and the spot on the Junior World Team just 17 seconds in.
"I went out and felt a bit rusty," said Kindig. "I trained pretty good for this tournament compared to nationals.
"Tall, lanky kids like (Ness), you always have to finish when you get in on the legs so you don't get rolled," he said.
"First thing, I go to Germany on Monday for the World Cup and I hope to go out there and do good against the other countries," said Kindig.
In addition to Kindig's freestyle success this past weekend, the qualification process has finished and six wrestlers with Oklahoma State ties will be in action at the 2011 Men's Freestyle Senior World Team Trials held in Oklahoma City from June 10-11. The list:
55 kg
Obe Blanc, fourth at U.S. Open
60 kg
Coleman Scott, third at U.S. Open
84 kg
Bryce Hasseman, third at U.S. Open
Chris Pendleton, Northern Plains Trials Champion
96 kg
Jack Jensen, third at U.S. Open
120 kg
Steve Mocco, second at U.S. Open
