April 19, 2006

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - - Virginia freshman Brent Jones won the 96 KG (211.5 pounds) weight division while Eric Albright and Ross Gitomer each placed fifth to earn freestyle All-American honors at the FILA Junior National Championships in Las Vegas, Nev., Apr. 12-15.

As a winner at the FILA Junior National Tournament, Jones sits at the top of the ladder and will wrestle a best-of-three bout final against the winner of a challenge tournament to decide who will represent the United States at the FILA Junior World Team Championships.

Albright, the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, placed fifth at 60 KG (132.25 pounds). Gitomer, who red-shirted in 2005-06 for the Cavaliers, wrestled at 55 KG (121 pounds). Both will compete in the challenge tournament vying for the right to wrestle the winner of the junior national tournament. That winner will also represent the U.S. at the FILA Junior World Team Championship.

The FILA Junior World Team Trials and Camp in men's freestyle and Greco-Roman will be held in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 4-10.

Jones posted a 20-12 overall mark and 12-5 dual record for the Cavaliers this past season. He led the team with eight pins. Albright finished the season 29-9 overall and 12-3 in the dual season. He went 4-1 in the ACC.

Red-shirt sophomore Rocco Caponi also competed in the FILA U.S. Senior Nationals last weekend dropping two close matches.

2006 FILA Junior National Tournament Results
55KG/121 pounds
Ross Gitomer def. Tyson Metz (Lake Stevens), TF, 6-0, 6-0
Ross Gitomer def. Bradley Pataky (Penn St.), Dec, 0-2, 1-0, 1-0
Franklin Gomez (Michigan Wrestling C) pinned Ross Gitomer, 3-0, 0:57
Michael Martinez (Olympic Training Center) def. Ross Gitomer, 2-0, 4-0
Ross Gitomer won by injury default

60KG/132.25 pounds
Eric Albright def. Bryan Osuna, 3-0, 1-0
Eric Albright def. Rodney Sager (Utah Valley State), 3-0, 2-3, 3-1
Eric Albright def. TJ Dillashaw (Titan Wrestling Club), 3-0, 0-2, 7-1
Sean Carr (College Park Wrestling) def. Eric Albright, 1-1, 1-1, 1-0
Eric Albright def. Brendan Byrne (College Park Wrestling), 3-1, 2-0
Eric Albright def. Rick Rappo (Sunkist Wrestling), 3-1, 1-1, 5-0
Jayson Ness (Minnesota Storm) pinned Eric Albright, 6-0, 0-3, 1:58
Eric Albright def. Sean Carr (College Park Wrestling), 5-0, 6-0

96KG/211.5 pounds
Brent Jones pinned Jack Sullivan (Sunkist Wrestling C), 0-3, 1:13
Brent Jones def. Hudson Taylor (College Park Wrestling), 2-5, 10-4, 6-4
Brent Jones def. Craig Brester (Sunkist Wrestling), 8-1, 1-1
Brent Jones pinned Taylor Moore (Cornell), 1:25