The Incomparable Akron U23 Freestyle Preview
The Incomparable Akron U23 Freestyle Preview
Everything you need to know about the men's freestyle U23 brackets at the World Team Trials in Akron, OH.
Unlock this article, live events, and more with a subscription!
Already a subscriber? Log In
Akron is one of the most unique and exciting events on the USA Wrestling calendar. It's got both Greco and freestyle as well as U23 (23 and under) and Cadets (17 and under) all in the same weekend. The U23 freestyle tournament is especially compelling, as it's an open competition that attracts college-age wrestlers from all different levels from across the country, all thrown together in massive brackets.
Watch the Cadet and U23 World Team Trials LIVE on FloWrestling
June 1 | 9:30 AM ET
To make sense of these monster divisions, we'll go weight class by weight class, highlighting some names to keep an eye in Akron.
57 Kilograms
Expect some surprises at the lightest weight as the registration list is short on established D1 collegians. One guy with some NCAA Tournament experience who will be in Akron is Army's Trey Chalifoux. American University's 2019 NCAA qualifier Gage Curry will also be competing in Akron.
Two Missouri Tiger teammates who will mix it up in the same weight are Cevion Severado and Cam Valdiviez. Those two will also be contending for a starting spot in the Tiger lineup with Dack Punke, next fall.
Quaker fans will want to tune in to watch Michael Colaiocco, as the blue-chip recruit from Blair will be getting his first taste of college-level action before he matriculates at Penn as a true freshman next fall.
61 Kilograms
Two studs who were unable to successfully navigate the insane 133-pound NCAA bracket this year and reach All-American status were Pitt's Micky Phillippi and Cornell's Chas Tucker. Phillippi was the #4 seed and owned a dual meet win over eventual NCAA finalist Daton Fix, while Tucker was the #9 seed. Incidentally, both were eliminated in the consolation rounds by Penn State's Roman Bravo-Young.
Despite missing the podium in Pittsburgh, both Tucker and Phillippi figure to contend for a spot on the U23 world team at 61 kg.
Tucker may get a shot at revenge against Lock Haven's DJ Fehlman, who upset Tucker in the first round of the NCAA tournament and is slated to compete in Akron. Noah Gonser of Campbell, another veteran of the ridiculous 133-pound 2019 NCAA bracket, will also be in Akron in search of NCAA redemption.
Akron will also be a great opportunity to see how 2018 NCAA qualifier Taylor LaMont of Utah Valley is doing since missing all of the 2019 collegiate season due to injury. A healthy LaMont up at 133-pounds would add to the ludicrous amount of talent already returning to the D1 level.
65 Kilograms
This weight class will be headlined by NCAA All-American Dom Demas. The Sooner rising redshirt sophomore made it to the semifinals of the senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament a couple of weeks ago in Raliegh. Expect the inside-trip specialist to put on a show in Akron and content for the U23 world team spot.
Watch Demas tech-fall Jayson Ness in the quarterfinals of the WTT Challenge Tourney in the video below:
Two challengers for the spot represent the present and future of the Ohio State Buckeyes lower weights. Rising senior and two-time All-American Luke Pletcher is registered to enter at 65 kg, as is soon to be redshirt freshman Quinn Kinner.
We've also heard from reliable sources that future Cornellian Josh Saunders will be in Akron. Saunders fell short of making the junior world team, but should not be overlooked in his quest to make the U23 team.
And coming in with a last-minute registration after this article was completed is three-time All-American Jaydin Eierman of Missouri. Additionally, Minnesota All-American Mitch McKee registered in the final hours.
70 Kilograms
Two-time NCAA semifinalist and three-time All-American Matt Kolodzik of Princeton is the most credentialed wrestler registered for this division. He'll have plenty of competition, as this looks to be one of the largest and deepest weight classes in Akron. Don't be surprised if there are round of 126 pig-tail matches.
Watch Kolodzik win his fifth-place match at the NCAAs against Missouri's Brock Mauller:
One of Kolodzik's fellow title contenders is his Tiger teammate, Mike D'Angelo. Kolodzik is expected to defer eligibility for a year at Princeton, allowing D'Angelo to occupy the 149-pound slot in the lineup next fall.
All expected to be in the mix are NCAA qualifiers Josh Finesilver of Duke, Evan Cheek of nearby Cleveland State University, AC Headlee of UNC, and Matt Zovistoski of Appalachian State.
Hawkeye fans will want to tune in to spy their 2018 NCAA qualifier, Vince Turk. Turk was supplanted in the Iowa lineup last season by Max Murin, but that was down at 141-pounds. Perhaps the senior Turk is on the way up to 149 to challenge All-American Pat Lugo? In any event, Akron will be a good opportunity to see how Turk competes up a weight class and half (70 kg = 154 pounds) from where he last competed in college.
Registering at the last minute are three-time All-American Alec Pantaleo and Oklahoma State's Kaden Gfeller.
74 Kilograms
74 kilos has a little bit of just about everything. From three-time NCAA qualifier Taleb Rahmani of Pitt to a pair of young Harvard men, Josh Kim and Philip Conigliaro.
Fresno State is also sending a pair of teammates that could feature in the final placements of the bracket in Isaiah Hokit and Greg Gaxiola.
Two wrestlers from big-time programs that have yet to wrestle varsity are Jeremiah Moody of Iowa and Jaden Mattox of Ohio State. Akron will be an excellent litmus test as to their current level.
A few last minute entries that will add some serious depth to the field are Anthony Artalona, Logan Massa, and Brady Berge.
79 Kilograms
A trio of two-time NCAA qualifiers represent some of the stoutest competition that is registered at 79 kilos. Connor Flynn of Missouri, Ben Harvey of Army and Kimball Bastian of Utah Valley are all entering their final season of NCAA eligibility having qualified for two NCAA Tournaments but without yet placing in the top eight. All three will be in the mix to finish in the top eight in Akron and in the top 8 of the 2020 NCAA Tournament.
Another name to be aware of is Anthony Mantanona of Oklahoma. Mantanona failed to make it to the big dance in March but has a very high ceiling. The rising sophomore is also one of the most exciting wrestlers to watch, regardless of the outcome of the match.
86 Kilograms
This weight class will likely rival 61 kg as the deepest in Akron. The headliner is NCAA finalist Max Dean of Cornell. Dean attained All-American status is his first two years of NCAA eligibility in Ithaca. He'll be among the favorites to make his first U23 world team in Akron.
Watch Dean upset Myles Martin in the semifinals of the 2019 NCAA Championship:
Dean won't lack for competition, however. Two rising redshirt sophomores that could challenge Dean in this bracket are Nino Bonaccorsi of Pitt and Cam Caffey of Michigan State. Caffey already made an age-level world team this year when he beat Keaton Fanning at the U.S. Open in a best of three series to earn the Greco-Roman junior world team. Caffey also entered the senior freestyle tournament at the Open, where he fell in the bloodround to Max Dean, who placed eighth in Vegas. Bonaccorsi lost in the same round in the same tournament to Brett Pfarr. Nino also lost in the bloodround of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
One of the more intriguing names in the bracket is Virginia Tech's Hunter Bolen. Bolen took a redshirt this past season, but has proven the ability to hang with the best of them by scoring victories over a pair of All-Americans last season. The rising redshirt sophomore Hokie beat Chip Ness and Jacobe Smith while deferring eligibility. Bolen also notches a win over Bonaccorsi at the U.S. Open.
Watch Bolen and Bonaccorsi's match in the video below:
Two other names to note are Tanner Harvey of American and Noah Stewart of Army. Both American University and Army West Point are sending a large contingent of quality wrestlers to the Akron Field House.
Lou DePrez of Binghamton registered on the final day permissible and will also be a threat to win the bracket.
92 Kilograms
Another weight class where there could be some surprises in the final placements, as 92 kilos is a little thinner in credentials than most of the other weights. One of the top competitors at the weight is NCAA qualifier Jacob Woodley of Oklahoma. Sooner Head Coach Lou Rosselli puts great emphasis on off-season freestyle competitions, and it shows in the number of Oklahoma wrestlers entered in the event.
A few other names to look out for include Eli Spencer of George Mason, Koltyn Eason of Edinboro, and Kaden Russell of Duke.
Trying to make back-to-back teams is last minute registrant Christian Brunner of Purdue.
97 Kilograms
Plenty of familiar names populate the 97 kg division. All-American Ben Honis is one of the leading contenders to make the world team. Honis admirably made the final eight in Pittsburgh at the NCAA championships after teammate and 2018 All-American at 197-pounds Ben Darmstadt was forced to miss the entire season due to injury.
Ohio State's Chase Singletary is also in the field and figures to make some noise in the bracket. Singletary qualified for the NCAAs at 285 but was never a full-size college heavy. The international weights give him an opportunity to compete at a more ideal weight (97 kilos = 213.4 pounds).
Rider's Ethan Laird could also factor in the placement matches of this division. Laird was the #32 seed at NCAAs but surprised many when he finished in the round of 16.
Other wrestlers of which to be mindful include Tar Heel and NCAA qualifier Brandon Whitman, Sparty's Brad Wilton, Army's Jeremiah Imonode, Buffalo's junior world team trials runner-up Sam Schuyler, and Iowa rising senior Sam Holloway.
125 Kilogram
Despite winning the U.S. Open's junior freestyle heavyweight bracket, Iowa's rising redshirt freshman Anthony Cassioppi declines to compete for the junior world team spot at the Trials Challenge Tournament in Raleigh a few weeks ago. Cassioppi is registered to compete in Akron, however, so he could still potentially make an age-level world team.
American University will be well represented at 125 kilos, and indeed just about every weight class. Two-time NCAA qualifier at 197-pounds Jeric Kasunic has bulked up to heavyweight. Joining him in the bracket is the current starting heavyweight for the Eagles, Niko Camacho.
Like American, Utah Valley is sending a sizable squad to Akron. Entered in both freestyle and Greco-Roman tournament is Tate Orndorff. Additionally, AJ Nevills will be one of many Fresno State Bulldogs competing for a world team spot.
A few names that made it on to the registration page just in time are future Buckeye Daniel Kirkvliet, 2018 U23 world silver medalist Youssif Hemida and Lehigh All-American Jordan Wood.
World Team Predictions
57: Michael Colaiocco, Pennsylvania RTC
61: Micky Phillippi, Pittsburgh WC
65: Dom Demas, Oklahoma
70: Matt Kolodzik, New Jersey RTC
74: Logan Massa, Michigan RTC
79: Connor Flynn, Missouri
86: Max Dean, Cornell
92: Christian Brunner, Boilermaker RTC
97: Ben Honis, Cornell
125: Youssif Hemida, Terrapin Wrestling Club