Completed Event: Wrestling versus NCAA Championship on March 20, 2025 , , NTS
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Final
Wrestling
vs NCAA Championship
Europe Trip A Success For Duke Wrestling
10/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
DURHAM, N.C. ? For eighteen days in August, the Duke wrestling team toured Eastern Europe to train and sightsee in a quest to develop strong team unity in preparation for the 2005-06 season. The five countries the Blue Devils had the privilege to experience were Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
Led by Duke Head Coach Clar Anderson, eleven current and former Blue Devil wrestlers embarked on the trip in a multi-nation training competition. Current and former Duke wrestlers who traveled included Brandon Ayers, Frank Cornely, Scott Doerr, Konrad Dudziak, Dan Fox, Andrew Herbert, Mike Kecman, Wes Kuser, Chris Mandracchia, Daniel Shvartsman and Dan Tulley.
After an overnight flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport, the Duke wrestling team arrived in Berlin, Germany, for their first stop on the eighteen-day trip. The team traveled to the Olympic training center in Berlin which was located adjacent to the Olympic complex from the 1936 Berlin Olympics. While touring Berlin, the team took in great sites including the Reichstag, the home of the German parliament, the Holocaust Museum, and Checkpoint Charlie, the place where American soldiers could cross the Berlin Wall.
The Blue Devils then traveled to Poznan, Poland, where they met teammate and native Pole Konrad Dudziak. The team had the opportunity to tour the Poznan Cathedral, which hosts the graves of the first two Polish Kings, before traveling to Bydgoszcz, the eighth largest city in Poland. Duke had its first wrestling match in Bydgoszcz, squaring off against a local club wrestling team. The Blue Devils won the match against the Gwiazda (Polish for star) team. Moving from the Gwiazda team to an all-region team the next day, Duke decisively defeated their opponents before dining at an 18th-century style restaurant.
On day nine, the Duke wrestling team spent the day in Gdansk, Poland, where they visited the office of Lech Walesa. Walesa, who was the leader of the Solidarity Movement, was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 for his role in fighting communism. The Blue Devils had the opportunity to see Walesa's Noble Peace Prize and hear a speech given by Poland's first President.
After Walesa's speech, the team traveled to Klaipeda, Lithuania, where they enjoyed practicing against a local club wrestling team. Before leaving Lithuania, the team spent time at a watch museum and took in the downtown scene, sharing in the local culture.
The next stop for the Blue Devils was Riga, Latvia. After meeting with the Secretary-General of Latvian Wrestling, Duke had their third match of the trip. The Blue Devils battled back in the match to pull out an 8-6 team win against the local wrestling club. While in Riga, the team also had the opportunity to take in the museums on Latvian War and the Occupation of Latvia.
On day 15, the Duke wrestling team traveled to Estonia, the last country on the trip. In the city of Kose, the team had a chance to relax, spending time fishing, canoeing and playing volleyball. The team also won in their final match of the trip, defeating a local club team to cap a successful trip.
The Duke wrestling team prepared for the trip home on day 17, traveling from Estonia to Poland before flying to Berlin. The final day of their trip consisted of the flight back to JFK Airport where the Blue Devils reflected on their many wonderful experiences.
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