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2011 Little Giant Wrestling Camp

a group of people standing in a gym

Over 300 wrestlers attended the 2011 Brian Anderson Little Giant Wrestling Camp held at Wabash College June 12-15. The camp includes instruction from some of the top names in wrestling.

a group of people in a room

Ben Askren was one of two guest clinicians on Monday. Askren was the 2006 Outstanding Wrestler at the NCAA Championship meet after winning the 174-pound weight class title with an overall record of 45-0. He was a repeat champion in 2007 with a perfect 42-0 record, becoming the second person to win the Dan Hodge Trophy. Askren competed in the 75 kg weight class for the United States at the 2008 Olympics. He is also a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

a group of people in a gym

 Ben Askren works with a group of campers during one of the many practice periods.

a group of people on a gym floor

Sammie Henson joined Askren as a camp instructor on Monday. Henson was the silver medalist at 2000 Summer Olympics at 54 kg. He earned a gold medal in freestyle wrestling for the USA at the 1998 FILA Wrestling World Championships and a bronze medal at the 2006 FILA World Wrestling Championships in China. Henson was named the 1998 USA Wrestling's Man of the Year. He also claimed back-to-back NCAA titles at 118 pounds in 1993 and 1994.

a group of men in a gym

Sammie Henson used Wabash sophomore Aaron Davis as a demonstration partner for the group during training sessions. Davis gets a brief break before Henson prepares to throw him around on the mat.

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Legendary University of Iowa Head Wrestling Coach Tom Brands taught at the camp on Tuesday. Brands earned a gold medal for the US at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He has also earned gold medals a the 1993 World Freestyle Championships, the 1994 and 1995 World Cup events, and the 1995 Pan American Games. He captured four US Nationals titles from 1993-1996, eventually claiming the 1993 USA Wrestling Athlete of the Year, 1993 John Smith Outstanding Freestyle Wresler, and 1993 Amateur Wrestling News Man of the Year awards. Brand took over as the Hawkeye's head coach in 2007 after serving 12 seasons as an assistant and two years as the head coach at Virginia Tech. He led Iowa to NCAA team titles in 2008, 2009, and 2010. 

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Brands works with a group of campers on their technique.

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Former Indiana University wrestler Angel Escobedo also worked the camp on Tuesday. Escobedo is no stranger to the Wabash campus. He has competed against the Little Giants in the annual duals held between the two schools. Escobedo was a four-time All-American at IU, earning IU Male Athlete of the Year honors. He won the 2008 NCAA title at 125 pounds and competed at the Olympic trials that same season. Escobedo also owns the Indiana high school state record for pins with 156 as a four-time state champion wrestling at Griffith High School.

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One of the campers gets some one-on-one time with Escobedo during a practice session.

a group of people wrestling on a gym floor
 Cornell University Head Wrestling Coach Rob Koll. He has guided his team to five top-five finishes at the NCAA Championship tournament. His team finished second in 2010 and 2011. Koll was also a four-time All-American wrestler at North Carolina.

a group of people in a gym
University of Wisconsin wrestler Andrew Howe. He was named Big Ten Freshman Wrestler of the Year in 2009 and won the 2010 national title at 165 pounds. He finished third at 165 pounds at this year’s NCAA tournament.

a group of kids holding trophies

The Youth Campers gather for a photo after receiving their awards. 

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