CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Former Virginia wrestler Brent Jones has qualified to compete at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials following a third-place finish at the U.S. Men's Freestyle Olympic Trials Qualifier.

Jones finished third at 120 kg/264.5 pounds in the qualifier, held in Las Vegas last Saturday (Dec. 3). The top three finishers in each of the seven weight classes who had not already qualified earned a spot into the Olympic Team Trials.

The U.S. trials will be held April 21-22, 2012, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, in advance of the 2012 Olympic Games, which are slated for July 27-Aug. 12 in London.

Jones pinned James Friedrich in the third-place match, winning the first period of their match, 6-0, before pinning Friedrich 38 seconds into the second stanza. A native of Burke, Va., Jones has been training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., for several months in preparation for a run at the 2012 Olympics.

Jones wrestled at UVa from 2005-10. He was the winner of the 2010 Gorrarian Trophy at the NCAA Championships after racking up the most pins in the least amount of time at the championships. He finished his career as UVa's all-time leader in pins with 45; he also ranks fifth in career wins at Virginia with 106.