Steve Andrus Selected for 2011 Pan American Championships
4/21/2011 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
April 21, 2011
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Steve Andrus, a redshirt sophomore on the Spartan Wrestling team, is one of the top Greco-Roman wrestlers in the country and was rewarded this past weekend. For the second consecutive summer Andrus was selected to compete internationally for the United States, this time in the 2011 Pan American Championships in Rionegro, Columbia, May 6-8. The competition will feature top athletes from North America, Central America, and South America.
"I was really, really excited. It still hasn't really sunk in yet," Andrus said when asked about his feelings when he heard the news. "I didn't think I would reach where I am now for a couple years. I am really excited and really proud to get a chance to represent the United States."
In the summer of 2010 Andrus qualified for the FILA Junior Olympics in Budapest, Hungary, as a member of Team USA after capturing the 120 kg/264.5-pound crown at both the FILA Junior Greco-Roman National Championships and FILA Greco-Roman World Team Trials.
Andrus's work ethic and superb upper body strength has lifted him into the top tier of Greco-Roman wrestling, which forbids holds below the waist, and he's widely considered one of the top Greco-Roman wrestlers in the country.
"Steve has worked very, very hard to get to this stage and he is a particularly strong upper body wrestler, so he is well suited for the international style of Greco-Roman wrestling," MSU wrestling head coach Tom Minkel said. "It is nice to see all of his hard work pay off as he continues to improve. I think this kind of competition will not only serve him well in the international style of wrestling but it will also help his folk style and his collegiate style of wrestling here at Michigan State."
Andrus will have to adjust to the international style of Greco-Roman wrestling from collegiate folk style; however, that is not his main concern when facing international competition.
"The toughest part in my eyes is that most of these people don't wrestle folk style at all, they all have been doing Greco freestyle their whole lives, so they kind of have a head start," Andrus said. "As long as I can try to cut the differences that they have in experience with my strength, that will be a major part of my success out there."
Minkel noted that not being familiar with many of the wrestlers who will be competing may be a challenge, but acknowledged the opportunity Andrus has in front of him.
"In collegiate wrestling most of the time you are wrestling people you know or from schools that you know," Minkel said. "He is going to be in Colombia; he will not have seen many of these guys before. I think it will be a good challenge. Everybody speaks a different language. I think the whole international experience will be good for him. These competitions just help you mature as an athlete and an individual, I think it will be enormously valuable."
Andrus hopes to learn from other wrestlers, but ultimately wants to bring home a medal for Team USA.
"I hope I come away with first place and get the medal," Andrus said. "I am really excited to just get some more international competition experience; this will be my second time out of the country to compete in wrestling. I just got to hope I can pick up a lot from teams from other countries and that I can represent the United States well."
Players Mentioned
