Wrestlers get tourney win

Youth and a lack of experience should never stand in the way of success. The Florida A&M Wrestling team works with youth on the team and in members in management positions and still finds success in the form of first place finishes.

The Rattlers wrestling team hosted and finished in first place Saturday in a dual team tournament in the Tookes Student Recreation Center. The team finished first out of four competing teams. University of Florida, Florida State University and University of South Florida all participated and fell to the Rattlers.

“It was a good tournament,” head coach Abdul Sharif said. “A lot of spectators came out to watch. Definitely some of the standouts on the team were Saunders Hamilton in the 149 weight class and Brandon Jennings in the heavyweight class.”

Sharif, 23, is a public administration graduate student and a second- year wrestling coach at Florida A&M.

The Rattlers are third in the region since his returning to the program last year.

“Instead of having the program fall out and fall out of existence, [former head coach Thomas White] asked me to take over the team,” Sharif said.

Be sure to look at Friday’s online edition of The Famuan sports for a full profile and follow-up on the wrestling team, as well as information on the next tournament on Dec. 31 at Univeristy of Central Florida in Orldando, Fla.