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Ex-NCAA mat champs Cael, Burroughs among journalist favorites to win Worlds

by knot move

Former college wrestling champs Cael Sanderson and Jordan Burroughs are among the picks to win gold at the 2012 World Wrestling Championships this week in Istanbul, according to a survey of 20 international wrestling journalists by TheMat.com posted Saturday.

Wrestling writers were asked to predict the champs in each weight class in men’s and women’s freestyle, and men’s Greco-Roman competition.

Sanderson, a four-time undefeated NCAA Division I mat champ at Iowa State (1999-2002) and 2004 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle, was named as the gold medal winner in 84 kg/185 pound freestyle competition by 15 of the 20 journalists surveyed. The 32-year-old Sanderson, currently head coach of the 2011 NCAA Division I team titlewinners Penn State, has not wrestled in international competition since winning gold in Athens at the 2004 Olympics.

Burroughs, a two-time NCAA D1 champ for the University of Nebraska, garnered seven votes from journalists who thought the 2011 Dan Hodge Trophy winner would claim gold in freestyle at 74 kg/163 pounds.

Three other former collegiate matmen each received one vote in the journalist survey:

  • Reece Humphrey, NCAA All-American for Ohio State, competing in freestyle at 60 kg/132 pounds
  • Jake Varner, two-time NCAA D1 champ at Iowa State, wrestling freestyle at 96 kg/211.5 pounds
  • Tervel Dlagnev, two-time NCAA Division II heavyweight champ at University of Nebraska-Kearney, competing at 120 kg/264.5 pounds freestyle

Want to know more? Visit TheMat.com’s special coverage section for the 2011 World Wrestling Championships, Sept. 12-19, from Istanbul, Turkey. Section includes weight class previews, brackets, blogs, photos and more.

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