Get to know your men's freestyle wrestling team in advance of the Junior World Championships held in Ufa, Russia on August 16-22.

Richie Figueroa

Weight: 57 kg
Hometown: Selma, California
High School: Selma
College: Arizona State
Club: Sunkist Kids
Instagram: @richard.figueroa21 

What you need to know: Figueroa recently graduated high school and will compete for Zeke Jones at Arizona State. He earned a silver medal at the 2018 Cadet Worlds and made a second appearance in 2019. The future Sun Devil was the top recruit in the nation, winning three California state championships in three attempts. His senior season was canceled due to COVID-19 protocols in his state. 

Championship Series: Richard Figueroa II over Ryan Miller, 2-0
Match One: Figueroa def. Miller 10-1
Match Two: Figueroa def. Miller, 10-0, 1:24

Jesse Mendez 

Weight: 61 kg
Hometown: Crown Point, Indiana
High School: Crown Point
College: TBD
Club: Region Wrestling Academy
Instagram: @mendezjesse3

What you need to know: Mendez enters his senior year of high school as the top-ranked recruit in the nation. He was a member of the 2019 Cadet World team, a FloNationals champion, and is a three-time state champion with a shot at four next season. Mendez appears to be a sure thing at the college level — especially after he reached the U23 World Team Trials finals but had to injury default during the third and decisive match. 

Championship Series: Mendez over Carter Young, 2-0
Match One: Mendez def. Young, Fall 1:32
Match Two: Mendez def. Young, 10-3

Beau Bartlett

Weight: 65 kg
Hometown: Tempe, Arizona
High School: Wyoming Seminary
College: Penn State
Club: Nittany Lion Wrestling Club
Instagram: @beau.bartlett

What you need to know: Bartlett was a four-time National Prep champion who compiled a 177-8 high school record. He finished his freshman year for the Nittany Lions with an 8-3 record but did not qualify for the 2021 NCAA Championships at 149 pounds after finishing 1-2 at the B1G Championships. 

Championship Series: Bartlett over Chance Lamer, 2-0
Match One: Bartlett def. Lamer, 11-3
Match Two: Bartlett def. Lamer, 3-2

Bryce Andonian 

Weight: 70 kg
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
High School: St. Edward
College: Virginia Tech
Club: Southeast RTC
Instagram: @bryceandonian

What you need to know: Andonian qualified for the 2020 NCAA Championships that were canceled due to COVID and went 2-2 at the tournament earlier this year. The Hokie sophomore currently has a 28-10 career college record after winning two Ohio state championships. 

Championship Series: Andonian over Edward Scott, 2-0
Match One: Andonian def. Scott, Fall 1:01
Match Two: Andronian def. Scott, 12-9

Keegan O’Toole

Weight: 74 kg
Hometown: Hartland, Wisconsin
High School: Arrowhead
College: Missouri
Club: Tiger Style Wrestling Club
Instagram: @keeganotoole165 

What you need to know: O’Toole finished his true freshman season at Missouri with a 19-1 record and a third-place finish at the 2021 NCAA Championships in the 165-pound bracket. He entered college as the second-best recruit in the nation following a stellar prep career that included a Fargo title in 2018 and four Wisconsin state championships.

Championship Series: Keegan O'Toole over Cade Devos, 2-0
Match One: O’Toole def. Devos, 11-1 4:43
Match Two: O’Toole def. Devos, 8-0

Donnell Washington

Weight: 79 kg
Hometown: Portage, Indiana
High School: Portage
College: Indiana
Club: Indiana RTC
Instagram: @d_wj_

What you need to know: Washington completed his redshirt freshman season at Indiana with a 10-7 record and an appearance in the 174-pound bracket at the 2021 NCAA Championships, going 1-2. He finished his high school career with a 110-8 record and was a two-time Fargo All-American in Greco. 

Championship Series: Washington over Jacob Logan, 2-0
Match One: Washington def. Logan, 8-5
Match Two: Washington def. Logan, 10-4

Colton Hawks 

Weight: 86 kg
Hometown: Wentzville, Missouri
High School: Wentzville Holt
College: Missouri
Club: Tiger Style Wrestling Club
Instagram: @coltonhawks15

What you need to know: Hawks wrestled in select duals at 184 pounds for Missouri this season but was not the starter after a 5-3 rookie campaign. He was a three-time Fargo All-American, placing third at 182 pounds at 2018 Greco Juniors. 

Championship Series: Colton Hawks over Darrien Roberts, 2-0
Match One: Hawks def. Roberts, 6-5
Match Two: Hawks def. Roberts, FALL 4:00

Rocky Elam

Weight: 92 kg
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri
High School: Staley
College: Missouri
Club: Tiger Style Wrestling Club
Instagram: @rocky.rhode

What you need to know: Elam completed his freshman year at Missouri with a 17-2 record and a fifth-place finish in the 197-pound bracket at the 2021 NCAA Championships. He completed his high school career with a 156-16 record and was a three-time Fargo All-American, including a 16U freestyle title in 2018. 

Championship Series: Rocky Elam over Zach Glazier, 2-0

Match One: Elam def. Glazier, 10-0 5:25

Match Two: Elam def. Glazier, 3-2

Braxton Amos

Weight: 97 kg
Hometown: Mineral Wells, West Virginia
High School: Parkersburg South
College: Wisconsin
Club: Wisconsin RTC
Instagram: @thebraxtonamos

What you need to know: Amos had quite a year in 2021 even though he didn’t compete in a college match. He made Junior World teams in freestyle and Greco and made the final Olympic Trials in both styles — reaching the best-of-three finals in Greco. Amos is a five-time Fargo champion and a six-time finalist.

Championship Series: Braxton Amos over Christian Carroll, 2-0
Match One: Amos def fall Carroll, 10-0, 0:45
Match Two: Amos def. fall Carroll, 14-5, 1:54

Wyatt Hendrickson 

Weight: 125 kg
Hometown: Newton, Kansas
High School: Newton
College: Air Force
Club: Air Force RTC
Instagram: @wyatt_hendrickson

What you need to know: Hendrickson completed his freshman year at Air Force with a 16-5 record and an appearance at the 2021 NCAA Championships, where he went 3-2 and reached the Round of 12. He was a four-time Fargo All-American in both styles and a two-time Kansas state champion. 

Championship Series: Hendrickson over Joshua Heindselman, 2-1
Match One: Heindselman dec. Hendrickson, 17-8
Match Two: Hendrickson dec. Heindselman, 10-8
Match Three: Hendrickson tech fall Heindselman, 11-0