April 11, 2000

EVANSTON, Ill. - University of Virginia wrestler Josh Etu (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) competed in the 2000 University National Championships which were held at the Welsh-Ryan McGaw Hall on the campus of Northwestern University. Etu, a first-year heavyweight wrestler at UVa, took first place in both the University Greco-Roman Championships and the University Freestyle Championships at the event.

Etu competed in the 130kg/286 lbs. class in both competitions. He defeated Andy Bowlby (ranked #10 on the Olympic ladder) of Oregon State who was wrestling for Orange Crush to earn first place in the University Greco-Roman title. He also defeated Tim Courtad, an All-American from Ohio University, who was wrestling for Bobcat WC to claim the University Freestyle Championship. Etu finished the tournaments with a 3-0 record in the Greco-Roman competitions and a 5-0 mark in the Freestyle competitions, including a win over JR.. Plienus of Nebraska (Husker WC) in the semi-finals who is ranked #7 in the Olympic ladder.

Etu's performances broke new ground in Virginia wrestling history. This was the first time in UVa wrestling history that a Cavalier won a University National Championships. Etu set the new standard in stone by not only winning one style championship, but by winning both.

Etu will return to wrestling action when he competes in the U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 20-22. He will be wrestling in Greco-Roman. If he finishes in the top eight places, Etu will receive an automatic invitation to compete in the Olympic Trials.

UVa wrestlers Joe Alexander (Franklin, N.J./Delsea), Greg Francesca (Union, N.Y./Blair Academy), Jeremy Kirk (Flemington, N.J./Blair Academy) and Toby MacDonald (Venice, Fla./Venice) joined Etu at the University National Championships and also competed for Virginia.