This one isn’t like the others. 

The 2021 US Senior Greco-Roman Nationals is a departure from the norm, with the Olympic Trials already in the rearview, and the Oslo World Team selection tournament not for another four months. We are living in strange times, friends. 

What is decidedly not strange, however, is the theme in place — “new beginnings”. While many athletes who suited up for the Olympic Trials are not competing on Friday, plenty of others are, thus rendering Coralville an even more accurate forum to display their skills. Why? Because the majority of those in Fort Worth were operating without the benefit of a proper competitive baseline. 

And for those who missed out on achieving their long-stated goals this quad, they too have a fresh start staring them right in the face. If this unique U.S. Nationals is to provide a value, it is that of a foundational dataset from which to draw as the summer approaches. All involved, from established stars to young prospects, are interested in restarting their engines with a momentum-building event. 

Which is exactly what Coralville is supposed to offer. 

Lightweights

55 kg

Max Nowry’s (Army/WCAP) brief hiatus from 55 due to the Olympic Year has come to an end as he looks to re-assume his place atop the pecking order in the sport’s lightest weight category. His Final-X runner-up Brady Koontz (TMWC/Ohio RTC) is back, as well — and so is Dalton Duffield, who is now part of the Army program. Duffield advanced to the National final opposite Nowry in ‘19 and has not competed in 18 months, though he should still be a major player in the bracket. 

The gifted-but-inconsistent Elijah Varona (Vikings WC) is also in the mix, and he’s a legit thrower. Know who else has this style on lock? Dane Durlacher (IRTC), who has not tossed his hat into the ring in a while but will still pose problems. Yet again, 55 is set to offer the most compressed pool out of the light weight categories, which is why no one can keep their eyes off of it. 

60 kg

At press time, 60 kilos is not… 60 kilos. Meaning, it is not the shark tank most have come to expect. That could change. Registrations have a habit of flying in at the last second. But still, there is news involved.

The first headline is that ‘18 World Teamer Dalton Roberts (Army/WCAP) will be searching for his second Senior National crown. A workhorse of immense repute, Roberts is now a full-scale “Ninja Squad” member and is being challenged in new ways on a daily basis. He is also the most well-conditioned athlete on the planet, probably, and everyone here understands who it is they have to chase down in Coralville. 

Reigning Senior National champ Alex Thomsen (Nebraska Wrestling TC) is registered — which is of the utmost importance. Some scoffed at Thomsen’s return to Greco in October and insisted on not taking his title all that seriously. Why? They figured he was one-and-done. But then Thomsen entered Last Chance and wrestled really, really well against a slew of top competitors. And now, he’s back once more. No one should dare question his commitment any longer. 

Iron-tough Corbin Nirschl (MWC) might have a say, and the same goes for Dylan Koontz (TMWC/Ohio RTC), who is equally as skilled as brother Brady. But how about Nelson Baker (NIRTC)? Baker is back in the fold for the first time since ‘17 Universities, and is actually technically more astute than his fan-favorite younger sibling Nolan. How will that translate to live matches at Senior? Who knows? But we all can’t wait to find out. 

63 kg

It is almost a sure bet that Randon Miranda (NYAC) has his cylinders oiled and humming at warped speed this week. He has been as busy as he could possibly manage since October, and that matters when we’re talking about a Senior Nationals. Sharpness is important, especially for a wrestler like Miranda who operates largely on timing, and even more so when it comes to counters. He doesn’t have a Senior crown just yet but is recognized as the top candidate this time around — for sure. 

Whom are among his most ardent pursuers? David Stepanyan (NMU) is on the list. Wide-open and aggressive, and an appropriately-sized gas tank. A passionate, talented competitor who should be viable given the abstinence from weight-cutting. Enigmatic Lilshawn Coleman (Army/WCAP) is another of the marquee bunch who hasn’t competed in a minute. If he is to get on a roll (i.e., find his positions and launch), no one will be surprised if he presses for a finals spot. 

Logan Savvy (RISE) had previously tested the waters at 67, but this might be a better fit given his frame and zeal for bigger scores. Should be in the argument. Last but certainly not least in this tight little grouping is Rafael Masi (Curby 3-Style), the former NMU student who had just begun to make some waves before seeking military service. Masi is more of an old-school type (brawl and throw, brawl and throw) but still raw. Then again, that’s the same story for most of the participants at this odd version of the Open. 

67 kg

No big deal. Just the second deepest weight category in the tournament. We shall proceed 

The aforementioned Nolan Baker (NYAC), he’s up for the task. And so is ‘19 Junior World bronze Alston Nutter (Sunkist/NTS), and Colton Rasche (Marines). All three appeared in the Olympic Trials, and all three will be factors. Baker in particular built some momentum on the backside of the bracket in Fort Worth (including against Nutter), but this is a different tournament. It’s a fresh slate; plus, Nutter now has some baseline matches under his belt from which to build. 

Then there is one Mr. Hayden Tuma (Suples), an extraordinarily explosive and dangerous Greco athlete who is in this tournament not just to qualify for the World Team Trials, but also to wash the taste out of his mouth from Last Chance. Tuma — an Open champ in ‘16 as well as multi-time National Team member — has had his stops and starts competitively due to a litany of reasons. At his apex, he puts the “b” in “beast”, and there is no smart wrestler in this bracket who will overlook his considerable capabilities. 

Jessy Williams (NYAC/Spartan) and Morgan Flaharty (NYAC) are both tough, experienced competitors who could use a reset, as well. Neither cracked through at the Last Chance Qualifier, and what you want to see out of wrestlers who were in a similar boat are purposeful actions. No undo pressure, no drama, no brain games. Just station-to-station positional exchanges, meaningful attempts, and a refusal to yield when things go haywire. This duo should be thought of as stout contenders, but that will ultimately be up to them. 

A wrestler who deserves to be discussed, primarily because he is likely to place, is Farrokh Safeinejad, the 39-ish-year-old who has recently done a nice job of coming out of nowhere and defeating a bundle of young full-timers. Safeinejad helps out at legend Shawn Sheldon’s club in Florida (SWAT) and is said to be competing just for fun. Well, go back and watch October or the Last Chance. It indeed looks like Safeinejad is having a ball. 

Middleweights

72 kg

67 carried all of the hype before and after the Trials. For this US Nationals, the buzz surrounds 72 kilos — because a few high-profile 67’s have moved up in order to throw down at the Xtream Arena. 

‘19 Final X runner-up Jamel Johnson (Marines) did not have the Trials performance he, and many others, was expecting. There are no excuses in this game, and Johnson won’t fabricate any. But we’re closing in on what will likely be the last third of his career and he wants to start checking long-term goals off the list. This tournament is a great place to start. 

The man they call “X”, Xavier Johnson (Marines; no relation to Jamel, so don’t get cute about it) had not competed in over a year when he arrived in Fort Worth for the Olympic Trials. He looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. For the most part. Timing wasn’t a severe issue for Xavier, but you’d have to imagine that he will be a little more on his game than he was three weeks ago. Which is really saying something considering he was in the National Team round. 

Austin Morrow (NYAC/NTS) went up to 77 for Last Chance, won the thing, and then impressed a whole lot of observers at the Trials. His entrance at 72 is pure logic. Morrow walks around a couple kilos over, so compared to 67 this is hardly a cut for him. If Morrow can carry the punch he had recently at 77 down to 72, then...wow. 

Out of this collection of superb wrestlers, the one with the most time on target at 72 is Michael Hooker (Army/WCAP), who was on the National Team in this weight last season. Hooker — a truly underrated combatant — was injured shortly before the Trials but still put together a few technically-smooth sequences before falling out of the race. You’d like to see a healthier iteration on Friday, so we’ll guess that’s the case given the decision to compete on such a short turnaround. 

Practically each of these weight categories have “sleepers” or an interesting gem or two. 72 is no different. NMU’s Reese Dalton is a consistently-improving athlete who is beginning to mine his experience and cash it in competitively. When he first caught on in Marquette, Dalton went through many of the same struggles most do when becoming a full-timer. But more and more, he’s growing, and it’ll be interesting to check in on his progress this week. With Dalton is a wrestler who actually hasn’t seen a Greco tournament in quite a little while, and that is former age-group stud Griffin Parriott (Minnesota Storm). Before he left for Purdue, Parriott was a Greco coach’s dream. An all-style wrestler who had won Fargo, great mechanics, tough as nails, loves this style… The total package, in some respects. But after such a respite, and with no relevant Senior XP, he is in fact a wildcard. Even with that, still anticipate an impact. 

77 kg

In bright lights is the name Chance Marsteller (TMWC), former college star, potent freestyler, and younger brother of US Olympian John Stefanowicz (Marines). Marsteller, a tremendous “total wrestling athlete”, does not have miles logged for Senior Greco but that will hardly sway interested eyeballs away from his matches. What you want is for him to go all-in on Greco-Roman. That is unlikely just yet, as he is registered for legs, as well. 

Olympic Trials hangover: there are wrestlers who competed at 77 inside of Dickies Arena coming to Coralville. Except, not one of them is in this bracket (thus far). Fans will still be getting more than their money’s worth, provided they are shrewd enough to enjoy what they’re seeing. 

That starts with “The Gunslinger” Alec Ortiz (Minnesota Storm), one of the most entertaining and compelling wrestlers in the country. His teammate, and two-time D3 National champ Ryan Epps is also involved — and so is Britton Holmes (All-Army), who defeated both Ortiz and Epps at Last Chance, but hardcores wouldn’t mind seeing those match-ups all over again. 

‘20 U23 National champion Nate Grimes (USOPTC) is your pick for a breakout. That could come in a variety of ways, and it could mean a variety of things. He doesn’t have to win it all for it to happen. But Grimes, a former NMU’er Holmes, is starting to reach the stage of his young career where those small but oh-so-important mini-battles during matches are swinging in his direction. He has refocused following his U23 triumph, so it’d be a good idea to take a definitive step up in this tournament. 

82 kg

Two-time Olympian Ben Provisor (NYAC) planned on wrecking the 77-kilo field at the Trials. Instead, he was one-and-done. Provisor does not have anything to prove, and this tournament for him should not be construed as a potential redemption story. But do you think he liked that? Do you think he liked watching his calories and paying strict attention to his diet and training for that cut, over a year in the making, only to wind up falling way short of making his third Olympic Team? 

Rhetorical whimsy aside, Provisor would not have signed up if he did not want to, in some small way, set the record straight, which means that he is likely to try to take his Trials frustrations out on the opposition. He was in pristine condition until the event actually began, and that doesn’t figure to have altered over the past 20-plus days. 

On the flipside to Provisor is Trials runner-up Peyton Walsh (Marines), who was responsible for “Big Ben” exiting stage left in that tournament. Walsh, of course, had a wonderful performance in Fort Worth, but it ended in brutally bitter fashion. That this is a non-Olympic weight and both are already qualified for September takes a tinge of pressure off of the whole deal, but let’s not be disingenuous and pretend like we don’t want to see what happens if their paths cross on Friday. 

Longstanding vet John Kent will have a pathway to get himself into the World Team selection process, which is a line of thinking congruent to George Sikes’ (NMU/NTS) decision to drop down from 87. It could pay off for this tandem, as they are both legitimate competitors. 

Upper-Weights

87 kg

87 kilograms requires a special breed. It is an upper-weight class that does not have to be a “plodder’s paradise” so long as there are enough strong-willed, technically-sound competitors who are willing to face the gritty, face-scraping nature everyone at the top level domestically brings to bear. Alas, there is a time for strategic pummeling, and there is also a time for busting someone’s head in before trying to throw them. 

For such a critical assignment, we have Terrence Zaleski (Marines), who combines the necessary nastiness and positional dynamics that could make him a star. Zaleski performed well in France this past January, but struggled in the Trials. This event for him — and everyone else, certainly — represents a new lease on life and a fresh start. Here’s hoping he recognizes that in advance. 

The people love “The Alaskan Assassin” Spencer Woods (Army/WCAP), who came up just short of making the US National Team in Fort Worth. Woods is new’ish to 87, but it fits him exceedingly well. He is not all that different from Zaleski, either. A little less “classical” in spaces, perhaps, but speedy entries combined with roughhousing in the ties are part of why Woods meshes nicely in this weight category. Still so young, Woods is progressing rapidly. He was also a finalist in ‘19, so this event is not a daunting proposition for him. 

Zaleski, Woods… Then there is U23 National Champion Tommy Brackett (USOPTC), a stout, position-gobbling monster whose squat frame makes him look strong, and he’s even stronger than he looks. Brackett is a “wrestler’s wrestler”. He’s not out for attention, he’s not hoping to steal the spotlight. What he’s after is grinding opponents down repeatedly over the course of six minutes. He can do that, and has. Not an easy match-up for anyone, and a very important young athlete in the US program. 

Dane Harter (Gator) does not receive a ton of fanfare. Part of that is because he has yet to put together a surging run. Can’t count him out. One step at a time. A wrestler like Harter, who has competed but is still gaining relevant experience, could use this Open as a catapult. 

Dan Olsen (UA) is similar, but different. Olsen is comfortably older than Harter and has been in plenty of tough events over the course of his patchwork career. What they have in common is training consistency. Olsen — and this has been said many, many times — is the quintessential Greco-Roman athlete who would benefit greatly from a full-time, high-speed environment. He’s too good not to have that, but is often without the resources others enjoy (and oft take for granted). 

Again, each weight has a name or two that raises eyebrows. For 87, that wrestler is ‘16 Cadet World Teamer Nick Reenan (Wolfpack). A fantastic wrestler. The U.S. program did not want him to wave goodbye to Greco in favor of NC State, and that is understandable. Automatically, Reenan is going to be a factor, in some way, on Friday. Yes, he’s in the Marsteller boat, in that he’s also set to go diving after ankles on Saturday. But maybe he rediscovers this discipline and plows ahead towards more appearances. 

97 kg

If keeping a pattern is important to the personnel involved with bracket placement, then “Big” Nick Boykin (Sunkist/Ohio RTC) is your #1 seed. The ‘19 Junior World Team member earned his first Senior crown in October, which by extension makes him the reigning champ. But he is also the undisputed champ, too. 

Marine Captain Daniel Miller won the US Open in ‘18 and the Nationals/Trials Qualifier in December of ‘19. Miller wasn’t able to compete in Coralville due to military restrictions. Boykin marched through the tournament; and as was the case for several other champs, people whined, ‘Wait till he sees a top guy.’ 

Well, Boykin did see top guys at the Olympic Trials, including Miller. And Boykin decisioned Miller. So, there are now no more complaints. No doubts, no scoffs. Boykin legitimized his title by defeating Miller, and now Miller has one more reason to get up for this tournament. 

Two-time age-group World Team member Chad Porter (Sunkist) is a smooth, crafty competitor and projects as a problem for the rest of the field. Porter was runner-up to Boykin at the previous Coralville dance party and has been preparing adequately for this upcoming string of events. 

JD Souza (Army/WCAP), aka “The Star-Spangled Specimen”, is living life with a badly-damaged knee — after having already torn, healed, and recovered from a previous knee surgery. It is heartbreaking, because Souza is such a monster Greco-Roman practitioner who has been a whisker away from reaching true elite domestic status. Then again, he is registered. That must mean he is confident enough to make a run, and if he is, all bets are off. 

Back in the game is Mike Rogers (UA), who had been an Olympic Training Center athlete for a while. He has had his moments, and is still a promising wrestler. Don’t sleep on him. We also like Air Force’s Diante Cooper here if he can gain some confidence early. That will be key, considering the landscape. Cooper is no pushover, and has garnered some strong victories on occasion as he continues to push forward in his career. 

130 kg

Tommy Helton (Southern Illinois RTC) was one of the most inspirational athletes to come out of the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier. It’s that simple, really. Helton had to survive two very difficult bouts en-route to the final, and he did so by prudently capitalizing on opportunities when they arrived, and by biting down to fight it out when necessary. Smart money says he’s going to be feeling pretty good about all of that as Friday nears, but his opposition consists of a tough crew. 

Three of Helton’s main protagonists from Last Chance are back: Lee Herrington (Nebraska Wrestling TC), Malcolm Allen (LOG), and Greco newcomer Courtney Freeman (Marines). And, all three will be in the running. That you can be assured of. Herrington is learning as he goes but already demonstrates a knack for the “heavyweight push”. He doesn’t yield ground easily and understands that underhooks, hey, they kind of make a difference. 

At the beginning of the Tokyo cycle, Allen was just coming onto the scene. Right away, he made a splash. First, he placed fourth at the ‘16 Nationals; later, he won the Schultz. But as the weight class deepened, Allen started hitting quicksand. He is still viable, to be sure, though he is also in search of an encouraging performance. 

Freeman, the “new guy”, was an NAIA wrestler for the University of the Cumberlands and an All-American in that branch of collegiate athletics. But that was years ago. Now a Marine, Freeman is trying his hand as a full-time Greco guy, and he looked the part at Last Chance, getting himself to the “true second” bout against Helton. 

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