Northern Michigan University Olympic Training Site Greco-Roman wrestling team alumni Andy Bisek of the Minnesota Storm and Robby Smith of the NYAC earned spots on the 2016 Olympic Team at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials this past weekend in Iowa City, Iowa. They join fellow NMU-OTS alumnus Ben Provisor, of the Colorado Springs, Colo., OTC, who qualified for the team during yesterday’s 85-kilogram final.

During today’s competition, Bisek qualified for the Olympic Team in the 75-kg weight class. The 2010 NMU graduate defeated the winner of the challenge series Geordan Speiller of the Florida Jets 6-2, 4-0 in the best out of three championships series.

NMU also had three alumni place in the top four in the 75-kg division. Cheney Haight of NYAC, Corey Hope of NYAC/OTC and Dillon Cowan of the U.S. Army came in second, third and fourth, respectively, in the challenge series.

In the 130-kg championship series, former NMU wrestler Robby Smith defeated Adam Coon, also of the NYAC, 7-2, 4-1 to qualify for his first Olympic Games.

Also competing at 130 kg was 2014 NMU graduate Toby Erickson of the NYAC. Erickson placed third at the competition by defeating Jacob Mitchell of Pueblo Wrestling RTC 8-0.

Two athletes from the former NMU-OTS freestyle program also qualified for the Olympic Games, with a third making it to the championship series, but falling short of making the Team.

Former NMU-OTS athlete Helen Maroulis of Sunkist earned her position on Olympic Team by winning the 53-kg weight class. Maroulis defeated her former NMU teammate Whitney Conder of the U.S. Army 10-0, 11-0, in the championship series.

Joining Maroulis on the 2016 Olympic Team was another former NMU-OTS athlete, Adeline Gray of the NYAC. Wrestling in the women’s 75-kg finals, Gray won by tech fall over Victoria Francis (TMWC) 11-0, 10-0.

This story was prepared by Mike Kaurala of the NMU-OTS.