David Taylor with his coach Cael Sanderson at Senior Nationals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)The U.S. has yet to qualify this weight class for the Rio Games, so the winner this weekend is not guaranteed a spot on the 2016 Olympic Team roster. Jake Herbert is the returning World Team member, 2012 Olympian and 2009 World medalist, but is far from a havy favorite in Iowa City. Four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake and four-time NCAA finalist David Taylor have joined this weight class after failing to break through at 74 kilos. Keith Gavin was a World Team member in 2013. The weight class also includes Ed Ruth, Clayton Foster, Tyler Caldwell, Richard Perry, Jon Reader and J'den Cox. In other words, it's extremely deep and wide open.
Will Coleman Scott get a chance another chance at an Olympic glory?
Scott had a breakthrough year in 2012, winning an Olympic bronze medal at 60 kilos in London. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy wrestler has not been able to regain his 2012 form, but has still been productive over the past few years at 61 kilos, placing third in the Trials last year and second in 2014. It's been a season of change for Scott. He was named head wrestling coach at North Carolina in June, and also made the decision to cut down to 57 kilos -- as opposed to moving up to 65 kilos -- for one last Olympic run. He placed third at the Senior Nationals/Trials Qualifier in December, with his lone loss coming to Daniel Dennis in the semifinals.
Will anyone challenge Jordan Burroughs?
Burroughs has his sights set on striking gold in Rio and becoming the first American to repeat as Olympic gold medalist since John Smith in 1992. He comes into Iowa City with a senior-level record of 122-2. As a returning World champion Burroughs has an automatic berth in the best-of-three finals. Two of his top challengers in recent years, Dake and Taylor, have moved up a weight class to 86 kilos. Burroughs' biggest threat domestically is likely Andrew Howe, who reached the finals of the 2012 Olympic Team Trials and was an Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix silver medalist in 2015. Chris Perry, a Junior World medalist and University World medalist, also poses a strong threat to make the finals against Burroughs.
Jake Varner fell to Kyle Snyder three times last year, including twice at the Trials (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Last year saw a changing of the guard as then-19-year-old Kyle Snyder toppled Olympic champion Jake Varner, first at the U.S. Open, then again at the World Team Trials, to secure his spot on the U.S. World Team. Snyder made the most his opportunity by winning a gold medal at the World Championships in Las Vegas to become the youngest American World champion freestyle wrestler ever. This year Snyder has competed both overseas in freestyle and domestically in NCAA wrestling. He claimed bronze medals at both the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix and the Alexander Medved International. Last month Snyder won an NCAA title at heavyweight, knocking off two-time NCAA champion Nick Gwiazdowski. Varner was a silver medalist at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix, losing to Anzor Boltukayev of Russia, the same wrestler who defeated Snyder. The returning World champion Snyder has an automatic spot in the best-of-three finals on Sunday night. Varner will have to go through the challenge tournament for a crack at Snyder. In three meetings, Snyder has outscored Varner 9-2.
Aside from Snyder, can any of the collegiate wrestlers contend?
All 10 NCAA Division I champions this season were automatic qualifiers for the Olympic Team Trials. Two-time NCAA champion Isaiah Martinez has publicly stated that he will not be competing in Iowa City, but most of the others are expected to compete. Past NCAA champions Nick Gwiazdowski, a Bill Farrell Memorial champion, and Nathan Tomasello, a three-time Fargo champion, have also qualified. Kyle Snyder is the returning World champion. Zain Retherford is a Cadet World champion in freestyle. Nahshon Garrett has competed for Team USA at a Beat the Streets event. Alex Dieringer and Gabe Dean were Junior World medalists. Dean Heil, Myles Martin and J'den Cox were Fargo freestyle champions.
Brent Metcalf gets his hand raised after an opening-round victory at the World Championships (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Metcalf has dominated his weight class domestically since 2013, but is still in search of his first Olympic team and first World or Olympic medal. In 2012, Metcalf lost narrowly in the finals of the Olympic Team Trials to Jared Frayer. The U.S. has not qualified the weight class for the Olympic Games, so the winner in Iowa City will have some work to do before securing a spot in Rio. Metcalf enters as the top seed, but will have his work cut out for him as the weight class is loaded with talent. James Green was a World bronze medalist last year at 70 kilos, but has made the move down to 65 kilos. There are several other wrestlers in this weight class capable of coming out on top in Iowa City, including Jordan Oliver, Jimmy Kennedy, Reece Humphrey, Logan Stieber, Aaron Pico, and Kellen Russell.
How will high school wrestler Mark Hall perform?
Two-time InterMat High School Wrestler of the Year Mark Hall will be making his Trials debut on the senior level. The Penn State-bound Hall qualified for the Trials last weekend by defeating 2015 top recruit Anthony Valencia 5-4 in a wild, action-filled finals match at the Last Chance Olympic Qualifier in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Valencia was third at the U.S. Open in 2015. Hall, a six-time state champion in Minnesota, claimed a Cadet World title in 2014 and competed at the Junior World Championships last year.
Will any Hawkeyes win titles at Carver-Hawkeye Arena?
In 2012, Iowa failed to put a wrestler on the U.S. Olympic Team for the first time since 1976. The Hawkeyes are positioned to put one or more on this year's team. Ramos and Metcalf both enter as top seeds. Daniel Dennis and Bobby Telford are also contenders.
Is Tervel Dlagnev healthy enough to get back on the Olympic Team?
Dlagnev has battled injuries in recent years. He had back surgery in 2015. In late January, He competed for the first time since last summer's Trials and earned a bronze medal at the Paris International. Dlagnev's lone loss came to Olympic medalist and World medalist Komeil Ghasemi of Iran 3-2. In May, Dlagnev won the Pan American Olympic Qualifier in Frisco, Texas, and qualified the United States at 125 kilos for the Olympic Games. Zack Rey has shown that he can not only compete with Dlagnev, but beat him. Dlagnev defeated Rey in the best-of-three finals at last year's Trials, but dropped one of the matches to the former Lehigh wrestler. Gwiazdowski, Dom Bradley and Tyrell Fortune could also challenge for the spot.
Which sleepers will shine?
Virtually every Olympic Trials there are sleepers that fans and prognosticators fail to mention as top contenders that make noise. There are no easy draws. The brackets are filled with NCAA champions and multiple-time All-Americans. Which sleepers will shine in Iowa City?
Note: InterMat will be providing session recaps throughout the two-day event. NBC Sports will have live coverage, including free online viewing of all the preliminary matches on Saturday and Sunday. The finals will air live on NBC Sports Network at 6 p.m. (CT) on Saturday, April 9 and on tape-delay at 9:30 p.m. (CT), on Sunday, April 10, following NHL coverage.
Schedule
Note: All times CT
Saturday, April 9
8 a.m. -- Doors open to Carver-Hawkeye Arena
9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. -- Preliminaries through challenge tournament finals
5 p.m. -- Doors open to Carver-Hawkeye Arena
6 p.m - 9 p.m. -- Best two of three Championship Series
Sunday, April 10
8 a.m. -- Doors open to Carver-Hawkeye Arena
9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. -- Preliminaries through challenge tournament finals
5 p.m. -- Doors open to Carver-Hawkeye Arena
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. -- Best two of three Championship Series.
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