April 20, 2001
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State sophomore wrestler Hector Torres and assistant coach Aaron Simpson each captured fifth place finishes at the U.S. National Freestyle Wrestling Championships April 15 in Las Vegas, Nev., qualifying them for the World Team Trials held June 22-24 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Simpson, wrestling at 187.25 pounds for the Sunkist Kids, earned a 7-2 decision over former Sun Devil Markus Mollica to capture fifth place. Mollica, representing the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club, won two national titles for ASU in 1993 and 1995.
Torres, a sophomore wrestling at 286 pounds, tied for fifth with Moe Rahmani from Cerritos (Calif.) due to a double injury default.
Also finding success at the national level, sophomore Nick Frost placed fourth at 167.5 pounds at the University National Freestyle Championships in Evanston, Ill. April 1. Frost, who redshirted this past season and will look to replace Steve Blackford in the lineup next year, lost a 5-1 decision to Tyler Nixt from the Hawkeye Wrestling Club (Iowa) in the third place match.