Every wrestler circles the Olympic Team Trials as their main goal in their four-year cycle. Without winning at the trials, the wrestler can’t earn the sport’s ultimate prize: an Olympic gold medal. 

Now, the four-year wait is nearly over. Wrestlers will battle in Iowa City's Carver Hawkeye Arena on April 9 and 10 for the right to represent the U.S. at the Olympic Games in Rio. 

Note: Some of the trial winners will have to earn the spot for the U.S. at the Last Chance Qualifiers in Mongolia or Turkey later this spring.

The Field 48kg (106 lbs)

Alyssa Lampe (2015 USA World Team member)
Victoria Anthony (Past Olympic or World Team member)
Clarissa Chun (Past Olympic or World Team member)
Cody Pfau (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 1st)
Erin Golston (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 2nd)
Breonnah Neal (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 3rd)
Nicole Woody (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 4th)
Marina Doi (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 5th)
Regina Doi (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 6th)
Candace Workman (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 7th)
Sarah Allen (WCWA silver medalist)
Ashley Iliff (WCWA fourth place)
Tayler Resuriz (WCWA bronze medalist)
Alesha Zappitella (Last Chance Qualifier Champion)
Brittney Taylor (Last Chance Qualifier Silver)

Rankings Used To Seed

1. Alyssa Lampe, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
3. Clarissa Chun, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids)
4. Erin Golston, Lake In The Hills, Ill. (New York AC/OTC)
5. Nicole Woody, Odenton, Md. (Terrapin WC)
6. Cody Pfau, Brush, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC)
7. Breonnah Neal, Clemons, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC)
8. Marina Doi, Kingsburg, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)

The Favorites

Alyssa Lampe has represented the United States in each of the past three world championships, and earned a bronze medal in 2013. Although she has been defeated domestically during this run, she won when it counted. Plus, she has a distinct advantage as the  No. 1 seed amid a field where the top three wrestlers have really separated themselves from everyone else.

Victoria Anthony is wrestling really well this year. She soundly defeated rival Clarissa Chun at the Dave Schultz Memorial and defeated Canadian Olympic representative Jasmine Mian to win the Klippan Lady Open in Sweden. In 2013, she made a senior world team at 51kg, and was a two-time junior world champion back in 2009 and 2010. Can she finally break through at 48kg?


Clarissa Chun won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Since then, she took some time off, and hasn’t been able to regain the spot at 48kg representing the United States, but that might be about to change. She most recently split-match with Victoria Anthony at the Bill Farrell and Dave Schultz Memorials. Can she find the magic once again in an Olympic year?

The Dark Horses

Erin Golston was runner-up at U.S. Senior Nationals, and claimed the University age group title this winter and spring. In both finals, she took on fellow dark horse Cody Pfau. Recently, Golston tech'ed Pfau, and seems to be the most sound challenger outside of the three favorites.


Cody Pfau is a pinner. I mentioned the split with Golston in the two finals, but Pfau was almost tech'ed in the Senior National final before she scored the fall against Golston. She also pinned her at the Bill Farrell Memorial in November. Pfau is a dangerous opponent for anyone in the field with her pinning capability; however, she's also susceptible to big moves with her go-for-broke style. I can’t see her stringing enough wins together to make it all the way, but one thing is for sure: no one wants to wrestle her.

Early Match To Watch

Clarissa Chun vs Cody Pfau, Quarterfinal

Watch for Pfau to take a couple of homerun swings against the heavily favored Chun.

The Pick

Victoria Anthony over Alyssa Lampe, two matches to one

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The Field 53kg (117 lbs)

Whitney Conder (2015 USA World Team member)
Helen Maroulis (2015 USA World Team member)
Jessica Medina (Past Olympic or World Team member)
Carlene Sluberski (2015 Grand Prix of Spain silver medalist)
Michaela Hutchison (Bill Farrell highest medalist)
Haley Augello (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 2nd)
Sarah Hildenbrandt (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 3rd)
Deanna Betterman (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 4th)
Sharon Jacobson (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 5th)
Katherine Fulp-Allen (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 6th)
Samantha Klingel (WCWA gold medalist)
Cady Chessin (WCWA bronze medalist)
Shelby Morrison (WCWA fourth place)
Amy Fearnside (University Nationals silver medalist)
Rachel Archer (University Nationals silver medalist)
Dajan Treder (Last Chance Qualifier Champion)
Christina Powell (Last Chance Qualifier Silver)

Rankings Used To Seed

1. Helen Maroulis, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
3. Michaela Hutchison, Lebanon, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC)
4. Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (NYAC/OTC)
5. Katherine Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC)
6. Sarah Hildebrandt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC)
7. Sharon Jacobson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP)
8. Carlene Sluberski, Fredonia, N.Y. (New York AC)

The Favorites

Helen Maroulis won a world title in 2015, but she doesn’t get to sit in the best-of-three championship series because she won at the non-Olympic weight of 55kg. She has a decent weight cut to make flat weight, and it will be interesting to watch her early in the day to see if she has the same energy level as she does at 55kg.

Whitney Conder has been the world team representative at 53kg the past two years, but that was before Maroulis joined the weight class. Wonder was defeated by Maroulis at a special wrestle-off to represent the United States at the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifier. Inexplicably, Maroulis declined the spot for Pan-Ams. Conder was not able to qualify the spot for the United States since she lost before making the championship final.

The Dark Horses

Michaela Hutchison was a tough opponent for Conder in the Bill Farrell final, but she wasn’t able to finish her swing single to get her chance in par terre. Hutchison runs a great bar series, and will be tough for anyone to defend if she gets her chance on top.


Sarah Hildebrandt placed third at U.S. Senior Nationals, and was a minute away from making the final. She dropped a close match to Fulp-Allen at the Dave Schultz Memorial, which cost her some seeding criteria. She is a dangerous wrestler to be seeded so low.

Early Match To Watch

Michaela Hutchison vs Sarah Hildebrandt, Quarterfinal

Hildebrandt held a late lead over Hutchison at U.S. Senior Nationals before Hutchison ran a bar to secure the late fall. This will be a great chess match.

The Pick

Helen Maroulis over Whitney Conder, two matches to zero
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The Field 58kg (128 lbs)

Alli Ragan (2015 USA World Team member)
Leigh Jaynes-Provisor (2015 USA World Team member)
Kelsey Campbell (Past Olympic or World Team member)
Jenna Burkert Nowry (Past Olympic or World Team member)
Kayla Miracle (Bill Farrell highest medalist)
Teshya Alo (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 1st)
Maya Nelson (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 3rd)
Randi Beltz (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 4th)
Jenna Burkert (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 5th)
Arian Carpio (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 6th)
Becka Leathers (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 7th)
Megan Black (WCWA silver medalist)
Dominique Parrish (WCWA silver medalist)
Natalia Hinojo (WCWA gold medalist)
Shelby Hall (WCWA bronze medalist)
Rosemary Flores (WCWA fourth place)
Tarkiya Mensah (University Nationals gold medalist)
Trinity Griffin (Last Chance Qualifier Champion)
Lauren Louive (Last Chance Qualifier Silver)

Rankings Used To Seed

1. Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
2. Teshya Alo, Honolulu, Hawaii (Titan Mercury WC)
3. Kelsey Campbell, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
4. Kayla Miracle, Campbellsville, Ky. (Sunkist Kids)
5. Leigh Jaynes-Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
6. Maya Nelson, Denver, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
7. Jenna Burkert, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
8. Becka Leathers, Choctaw, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC)

The Favorites

Alli Ragan has made the past two world teams at 58kg, but didn’t win the U.S. Open last year; Maroulis did. Kelsey Campbell defeated Ragan on the championship side before she earned third place over Teshya Alo. However, Ragan has shown she can win when it matters most. Can she do it again?

Teshya Alo has two cadet-level medals, and she earned spots on the national team last year at two different weights. She also defeated Campbell at U.S. Senior Nationals in December. This is an incredible resume -- now, wrap your head around the fact that she is still in high school in Hawaii. Has she improved enough to get past Ragan?

Kelsey Campbell defeated Ragan last year at the U.S. Open, and made an Olympic Team in 2012. However, she was defeated by the prodigy, Alo, in December. Will she be able to return to the Games this year?

The Dark Horses

Kayla Miracle has been very successful on the age group circuit collecting world medals in both the cadet and junior age division

Early Matches To Watch

Becka Leathers vs Alli Ragan, Quarterfinal

Leathers is a very experienced wrestler for someone who is still 19 years old. She has a junior world medal and placed at the Klippan Lady Open while still in high school. I don’t think she is ready yet, and she is currently a tweener between 53kg and 58kg, but watching her against Ragan will be fun.

Teshya Alo vs Jenna Burkert, Quarterfinal

We will find out early if Alo has continued to improve and whether she's ready to be the U.S. representative when she takes on former world team member Burkert.

Kayla Miracle vs Leigh Jaynes-Provisor, Quarterfinal

Former junior world medalist, Miracle, against reigning senior bronze medalist, Jaynes-Provisor.

The Pick

Teshya Alo over Alli Ragan, two matches to one

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