Wrestling: Gavin, Zanetta to take part in USA World Team Trials

Two Pitt wrestlers, one past and one present, will compete to represent their country at the USA World Team Trials.

Former Pitt star Keith Gavin and rising sophomore Nick Zanetta will travel to Madison, Wis., for a chance to make national squads. Gavin will be competing for a spot on the U.S. 2014 World Championship team going to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Zanetta will try for a spot on the U-20 team.

Gavin, the No. 1 overall seed among those competing for the U.S. World Team, finished his prolific collegiate career in 2008, wrestling an unblemished 33-0 in his senior campaign. His total record of 120-37 ranks him tied for eighth on Pitt’s all-time wins list. The two-time All-American wrestler became Pitt’s 16th ever national champion.

Zanetta finished his freshman campaign with a 10-5 record competing in open tournaments at the 133 lb. weight class.

Both wrestlers represented Pitt in national tournaments in Las Vegas about a month ago. Gavin secured his second consecutive U.S. Open freestyle title, while Zanetta finished eighth in the FILA Juniors Nationals Freestyle Tournament, which hosts many of the top under-20 wrestlers nationwide

In the Panthers’ first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the wrestling team finished 13-3 overall and 6-0 in conference, winning the ACC regular season title.

The trials will run from May 30-June 1.