May 25, 2004

Lehigh assistant wrestling coach Kerry McCoy will represent the United States at 120 kg (264 lbs.) in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens thanks to a pair of victories over Tolly Thomson at the RCA Dome on Sunday afternoon. McCoy toppled Thompson by scores of 5-3 and 8-0 to earn the right to wrestle for his country on the international stage.

In the first match, McCoy scored an early one-point takedown to go up one-nothing. Seconds later, he picked up two more points for a gut-wrench. At the 1:12 mark of the opening period, another gut wrench made the score 5-0 in favor of McCoy. Thompson tried to battle back, landing a pair of one-point takedowns, but it wasn't enough as McCoy hung on for the 5-3 victory.

Already leading 3-0 in the second match, McCoy scored a beautiful takedown to build a comfortable 7-0 lead. He would add another one-point takedown in the second period to cruise to the 8-0 victory, clinching his spot on the U.S. team in Athens.

Earlier this year, McCoy competed in the U.S. National Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, winning the Heavyweight class for the fifth straight year. That weekend, McCoy was dominant in winning, taking five straight matches and defeating 2003 NCAA champ Steve Mocco in the final, 3-0. Thanks to his victory in Las Vegas, McCoy advanced straight to the finals of the Olympic Trials.

McCoy wasn't the only Olympic hopeful with ties to Lehigh. Senior Jon Trenge - who took a year off from school to train last year - finished fourth at 211 lbs. in the Olympic Trials. Jason Kutz, a 1996 Lehigh grad and current volunteer assistant coach at Lehigh, also competed in Indianapolis.

The 2004 Summer Olympic Games get underway on August 13 in Athens, Greece.