Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder and Logan Stieber captured world titles on their first try while J'den Cox won an Olympic bronze medal and James Green a world bronze medal in their initial appearances.
Three promising newcomers will have an opportunity to do the same thing at the World Championships on Aug. 21-26 in Paris, France.
First-time World Team members Thomas Gilman, Zain Retherford and Nick Gwiazdowski are three wrestlers capable of making podium runs in Paris.
Their performances could be key as the U.S. makes a run at its first freestyle team title since 1995.
The U.S. will send 24 wrestlers to Paris, including eight in freestyle, eight in women's wrestling and eight in Greco-Roman, for an event that is being held a few weeks earlier in the calendar year. The event has been held for a number of years in September.
Here are 10 storylines to watch for U.S. wrestlers in all three styles in Paris:
10. Time to shine for newcomers
Thomas Gilman, Zain Retherford and Nick Gwiazdowski are new to this event. But none of these guys are new to international competition. Gilman won a Junior world bronze medal, Retherford captured a Cadet world title and Gwiazdowski has gained a fair amount of experience internationally as well. All three of these guys are tough competitors with relentless styles that can break any opponent. Don't be surprised to see some medals come from this determined group of young athletes.
Logan Stieber will look to win his second straight world title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)9. Another run for Logan?
Logan Stieber has found the perfect fit at 134 pounds, and that was evident when he won a world title in 2016. Stieber is back again at this weight class, and he's clearly one of the favorites to win this division. Stieber may have the most wide-open style of any American right now. He's never out of a match. He just keeps coming. You never want to miss a match when he's competing.
8. Fear the Beard
Veteran Robby Smith should've won a Greco-Roman bronze medal at the last World Championships in 2015. Smith finished fifth after some very curious calls went against him. Smith has proven he belongs on this stage and this is a big opportunity for him after a disappointing performance in Rio. The charismatic heavyweight with the big beard is never boring to watch.
7. Can Green earn gold?
James Green has become a consistent performer at 154 pounds. He's now made three straight World teams. Green is very good offensively and defensively, and he's become very strong mentally. He's a confident, mature professional who believes he's ready to be the best guy on the planet. He's very explosive and tough to stop when he stays aggressive.
Victoria Anthony after winning the U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)6. What other women's stars will emerge
Alli Ragan, Victoria Anthony and Tamyra Mensah are three women's wrestlers capable of contending for gold at the Worlds. Ragan reached the finals of the 2016 Worlds, Anthony has been a world semifinalist and Mensah beat world champion Elena Pirozhkova to make the American team. With three-time world champion Adeline Gray recovering from an injury, the women need some other athletes to step up this season.
5. J'den looking to follow suit
J'den Cox was one of the pleasant surprises at the 2016 Olympics. He nearly made the finals, and if not for some confusion in the closing stages of a tie match he may have been in the gold-medal bout. Cox rebounded to win Olympic bronze and came back this year to beat a very strong wrestler in David Taylor to make his first World Team. Cox is very strong and powerful for this 189-pound division and is a tough matchup for anybody who faces him.
Ellis Coleman wrestling in the U.S. Open semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)4. Flying Squirrel back for another run
Ellis Coleman was one of the brightest young stars in Greco-Roman before making the 2012 Olympic team. He earned national and international attention for his patented "Flying Squirrel" move from the Junior Worlds. He's also wrestled at the Senior World Championships, jumping in as a last-minute replacement for Harry Lester in 2013. But he has been slowed in recent years by a number of injuries. Coleman remains a very talented and determined wrestler who could be capable of making a big splash on the world stage.
3. Can Jordan rule once again?
Jordan Burroughs has won his three world titles in the odd-numbered years of 2011, 2013 and 2015. It's 2017 now, but Burroughs has his share of doubters and detractors after a stunning 2016 Olympics performance. He lost two matches and failed to medal in Rio after being an overwhelming favorite to repeat his 2012 Olympic title. Burroughs has bounced back this season, outlasting Kyle Dake in three matches to make the World Team. Burroughs is eager to atone for last year's performance. The key for him is to get to his attacks. Foreign wrestlers have become very adept at blocking his lethal double leg. Look for Burroughs to find other ways to score as he seeks a fourth World gold medal.
2. The return of Helen
Helen Maroulis is the reigning world and Olympic champion at two different weight classes -- 121 pounds and 116 pounds. Now she bumps up to a new division, 128 pounds, for the start of a new Olympic cycle. Maroulis became the biggest story of the Rio Olympics in wrestling when she scored a stunning upset of three-time Olympic champion Saori Yoshida of Japan in the finals. Maroulis will be wrestling much stronger opponents now, but she's also at a more comfortable weight class where she is clearly stronger as well. I wouldn't bet against her winning gold in Paris.
Abdulrashid Sadulaev won Olympic gold in Rio (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)1. Marquee matchup: Snyder vs. Sadulaev
Many wrestling observers consider Russian superstar Abdulrashid Sadulaev the best pound-for-pound wrestler on the planet. There are plenty of good reasons for that. The wrestler known as the Russian tank has destroyed the competition at the World Championships and the Olympics. Now Sadulaev may face his biggest challenge as he moves up a weight class -- battling reigning Olympic and world champion Kyle Snyder at 213 pounds. Like Sadulaev, Snyder is a wrestler who became very advanced at a young age. Snyder is another very physical, punishing wrestler who never seems to wear down. It could be the match of the tournament in Paris. Hopefully, we will have an opportunity to witness it. Snyder certainly won't be backing down from Sadulaev.
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