Wrestling: Princeton’s Augustus Swanson to wrestle for Team Illinois at Nationals

Augustus Swanson is going national.

The sophomore-to-be at Princeton High School will represent Team Illinois at 106 pounds in the Greco Roman National Championship in Fargo, N.D. this weekend. He qualified in April by placing second in the Greco State Tournament. The top three wrestler at each weight qualified.

Swanson has been at the team training camp at the University of Illinois since Saturday. The team leaves for Fargo on Wednesday with weigh-ins on Thursday and competition starting at 9 a.m. Friday.

“It has been an honor wrestling for team Illinois. I have always heard about it for other wrestlers but now it’s my turn,” Swanson said. “My practices have been going good so far and it’s super awesome getting to wrestle with the best kids in Illinois. I have been working all year long and doing offseason wrestling to get me to this point. Also my coaches, dad and brother have worked with me this summer.

“Representing team Illinois has been a great experience and I can’t wait to hit the mats in Fargo.”

Princeton coach Steve Amy, who also wrestled in the Greco Roman Nationals for Rockridge High School, said Swanson will learn a lot about wrestling there.

“The experience there is second to none. Not only do you have 30 mats on the floor, but you are also competing against the best wrestlers in the country,” Amy said. “He’s still wrestling in July, so the gains that he’s making on all of the others that aren’t is huge and he will definitely see that next season.”

Swanson was a state qualifier in his freshmen season at PHS, posting a 42-10 record with a team-high 24 pin falls and 130 near falls. He also had 43 takedowns.