April 11, 2000

DURHAM, N.C. -- The Duke wrestling team will embark on an overseas exchange this May to Russia and Iran. Head coach Clar Anderson, along with 11 members of this year's squad, will leave on May 12 to head to Moscow to participate in a number of exchange matches with the local university teams, clubs and national teams. On May 18th, the Blue Devils will travel to Tehran, Iran, and train with the Iranian national team and coaches as they prepare for the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. This segment of the trip is monumental in that the Duke wrestlers will be the first college team to visit Iran since their revolution in 1979.

"I feel the trip to Iran will be a big challenge," Anderson said, "but one that our wrestlers can learn from and gain some valuable experiences."

Team members are currently in the process of raising funds to cover individual costs of the trip (airfare, visas, passports, living expenses, etc.) and are seeking support from the community.

"Being a non-scholarship program, the majority of my wrestlers work along with their responsibilities to academics, practice and competition," said Anderson. "They realize that this trip is a valuable learning experience that can't be duplicated and have welcomed the extra time needed to do this fund raising."

Those interested in offering support or obtaining more information about the Duke wrestling team's trip to Russia/Iran may contact Coach Anderson at 919-681-0249.