April 24, 2013
TEMPE – The future is already looking bright for the Arizona State University wrestling team following 2013 signee Coltin Fought’s fourth-place finish at the 2013 US Junior FILA Nationals this past weekend.
The NC State transfer and 2011-12 NCAA qualifier competed in the men’s 55kg freestyle division, where he advanced to the semifinals following earlier tournament victories that included a a 6-0, 6-0 tech fall over NYAC-Harlem’s Johnson Mai, a 7-4, 2-0 decision over Phillip Laux and a 6-0, 7-0 tech fall over Gunnar Woodburn.
In the semifinals, he came shy of the tournament champion Thomas Gilman in a 3-0, 4-0 decision but rebounding nicely in the consolation bracket.
There, Fought rolled over Jarred Oftedahl in a 6-0, 7-0 tech fall in the consolation semifinals before coming just shy of Dylan Peters in a hard-fought 1-0, 1-1 decision.
With the fourth-place performance, however, Fought qualified for the U.S. World Team Trials, which will take place June 20-23 in Stillwater, Okla. There, he will compete for a chance to compete at the 2013 Junior World Championships, held in Sofia, Bulgaria in August.
Fought will join the Sun Devils next season after sitting out this past season with the Wolfpack. As a freshman in 2011-12 at NC State, however, Fought was the starter at 125 pounds and finished the year with 28 victories, a third-place finish at the ACC Championships and a berth in the NCAA Championships.
The sophomore will arrive in Tempe with three years of eligibility and is expected to make an immediate impact in the lower weight classes for the Sun Devils.