The 2018 U.S. World Wrestling Teams in the three Olympic disciplines have set high goals for the 2018 World Wrestling Championships, set for the Papp Laszlo Sports Arena in Budapest, Hungary, October 20-28.
The United States was the 2017 World Team Champions in men's freestyle, and will be seeking to win back-to-back World titles for the first time in history. Last year was only the third time ever, and the first time in 22 years, that Team USA won the World Team title in men's freestyle wrestling. The team was led by two champions and six individual medalists.
The U.S. women's freestyle team placed a strong second at the 2017 World Championships, one of its greatest performances ever. The 2017 team featured three medalists, including a World champion. The USA is seeking to win the World Team title in women's freestyle for only the second time, with its previous team title in 1999.
The U.S. Greco-Roman program, led by a group of young talents, is poised to challenge for individual medals and improve upon its team finish from recent World Championships. The USA has won one Greco-Roman World Team title in 2007.
The U.S. team in men's freestyle and women's freestyle were determined through the Final X series over three weekends in June. The U.S. Greco-Roman team was set at the Greco-Roman World Team Trials in Tulsa, Okla. in June. The final U.S. World Championships lineup has included three injury replacements, one in each style, which occurred during training for the event.
The World Team in each style had a series of training camps during the summer in preparation for the World Championships. Each team had a final overseas acclimation camp prior to arriving in Budapest, with men's freestyle at Ramstein AFB in Germany, women's freestyle in Ostia, Italy and Greco-Roman in Tata, Hungary.
The competition begins with men's freestyle, which will be held October 20-23. The team is led by a pair of Olympic gold medalists, 2012 Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs at 74 kg and 2016 Olympic champion Kyle Snyder at 97 kg. Burroughs owns four World Championship gold medals (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), while Snyder has also won two World Championship gold medals (2015, 2017).
Also on the team is 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and 2017 World bronze medalist J'den Cox at 92 kg, as well as 2016 World champion Logan Stieber at 65 kg. James Green, a 2017 World silver medalist and 2015 World bronze medalist, holds down 70 kg. Add in 2017 World silver medalist Thomas Gilman at 57 kg and 2017 World bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski and the 2018 lineup has seven past medalists.
The three freestylers in their first Senior Worlds are already successful internationally, Joe Colon at 61 kg, Kyle Dake at 79 kg and David Taylor at 86 kg. Colon replaces the injured Nahshon Garrett in the lineup.
Five U.S. men's freestyle wrestlers have received seeds in Budapest through the UWW Ranking Series standings: Gwiadowski (No. 1), Gilman (No. 2), Taylor (No. 2), Colon (No. 4) and Dake (No. 4).
"Having won last year, we have a huge target on our backs and the rest of the world will be coming at us even more fiercely than they have in the past, so we're using that to strengthen our own resolve and our own determination. It's an amazing opportunity. I think we have a very skilled and talented team, and ultimately the determination and fight that they step onto the mat with will decide our destiny," said National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick.
The women's freestyle competition is held next from October 22-25. Team USA is led by 2016 Olympic champion, two-time World champion (2015 and 2017) and five-time World and Olympic medalist Helen Maroulis at 57 kg, plus three-time World champion (2012, 2014, 2015) and Olympian Adeline Gray at 76 kg. In addition to her gold medals, Maroulis has won a 2012 World silver medal and a 2014 World bronze medal. In addition to her gold medals, Gray won World bronze medals in 2011 and 2013.
Competing on her fourth U.S. Senior World team is Whitney Conder at 50 kg. On their second U.S. Senior World teams are Sarah Hildebrandt at 53 kg, Jenna Burkert at 59 kg, Mallory Velte at 62 kg, Tamyra Mensah-Stock at 68 kg and Erin Clodgo at 72 kg. The first-time World Team members are Jacarra Winchester at 55 kg and Forrest Molinari at 65 kg. Burkert replaces the injured Alli Ragan on the World Team.
Five U.S. women's freestyle wrestlers have received seeds in Budapest through the UWW Ranking Series standings: Hildebrandt (No. 1), Molinari (No. 2), Mensah-Stock (No. 2), Gray (No. 2) and Conder (No. 3).
"We are there. We just have to perform. Last year, as a second-place team, I don't think we had a great performance. Who's going to step up and perform on the days of the World Championships? We have a team right now that is capable of that. But we are going to have to do it. We have to get in there and do the things we need to do to be successful. We need to get to the World Championships and let it fly," said National Women's Coach Terry Steiner.
The Greco-Roman team includes three past Olympians. At the 2012 Olympics, Ellis Coleman competed in Greco-Roman and Sam Hazewinkel competed in freestyle. In Budapest, Coleman will be at 67 kg and Hazewinkel will wrestle Greco-Roman at 55 kg. Jesse Thielke, now competing at 63 kg, was a 2016 Olympian. Coleman will compete in his third World Championships, Thielke in his second World Championships, while Hazewinkel will be wrestling in his first Senior World Championships.
Competing in his third Senior World Championships is Patrick Martinez at 87 kg. G'Angelo Hancock is wrestling in his second straight Senior World Championships. Five of the team members in Greco-Roman are on their first Senior World Team: Dalton Roberts at 60 kg, RaVaughn Perkins at 72 kg, Kamal Bey at 77 kg, Geordan Speiller at 82 kg and Adam Coon at 130 kg. Perkins replaced the injured Jon Jay Chavez on the U.S. team.
"I am super thrilled with the talent. I've said the same narrative for a while. It will be younger athletes who will be getting medals for us soon. We have had tough veterans keeping these young guys at bay for a while, and these guys have now stepped up," said National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland.
The entire U.S. group includes three Olympic champions, five World champions (who have won a combined 12 World gold medals), four Olympic medalists, nine World medalists (with a combined 22 World medals) and eight Olympians.
There are 19 athletes who have competed in at least one previous Senior World Championships, and another 11 who will be wrestling in their first Senior World Championships.
Included on the roster are seven past NCAA Div. I champions (with a combined 20 NCAA titles) and six past WCWA women's college national champions (with a combined 13 WCWA titles).
The combined U.S. World Team includes 16 different athletes who have won age-group World medals, amassing 22 total medals. There are six age-group World champions on the roster: Adeline Gray (Junior and University), Kyle Snyder (Junior), Whitney Conder (Junior), Sam Hazewinkel (University), Kamal Bey (Junior) and Adam Coon (Cadet).
All nine days of the 2018 World Wrestling Championships will be streamed live in the United States by TrackWrestling. Budapest time is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.
Trackwrestling will donate to U.S. athletes through the Living the Dream Medal Fund each time the promo code WINUSA is used at checkout on Trackwrestling.com for a UWW Streaming Season Pass now until October 31, 2018. The UWW Season Pass provides customers with access to watch the upcoming Junior, Senior, and U23 World Championships.
USA Wrestling will provide complete daily coverage from the 2018 World Championships on its website TheMat.com (http://www.TheMat.com), and through all of its social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. You can get updated content from USA Wrestling in its World Championships Special Section.
Additional coverage will also be provided by United World Wrestling, the international governing body, as well as by USA Wrestling broadcast partners FloWrestling and Trackwrestling.
2018 U.S. SENIOR WORLD WRESTLING TEAMS
At Budapest, Hungary, October 20-28
Men's freestyle
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Thomas Gilman, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
61 kg/134 lbs. - Joe Colon, Fresno, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC/Valley RTC)
65 kg/143 lbs. - Logan Stieber, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
70 kg/154 lbs. - James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska WTC)
79 kg/174 lbs. - Kyle Dake, Ithaca, N.Y. (Titan Mercury WC/New York RTC)
86 kg/189 lbs. - David Taylor, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - J'den Cox, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Kyle Snyder, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
125 kg/275 lbs. - Nick Gwiazdowski, Raleigh, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC)
National Team Coaches - Bill Zadick, Joe Russell, Kevin Jackson (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
World Team Coach - Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio
Team Leader - Jamie Dinan, New York, N.Y.
Women's freestyle
50 kg/110 lbs. - Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
53 kg/116.5 lbs. - Sarah Hildebrandt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC/OTC)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Jacarra Winchester, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Helen Maroulis, New York, N.Y. (Sunkist Kids/NYCRTC)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Jenna Burkert, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Mallory Velte, Sacramento, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
65 kg/143 lbs. - Forrest Molinari, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
68 kg/149.75 lbs. - Tamyra Mensah-Stock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
72 kg/158.5 lbs.- Erin Clodgo, Richmond, Vermont (Sunkist Kids)
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Adeline Gray, Kingston, Pa. (New York AC)
National Team Coaches - Terry Steiner, Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
World Team Coaches - Troy Steiner, Fresno, Calif. and Coleman Scott, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Team Leader - Jim Bennett, Stamford, Conn.
Greco-Roman
55 kg/121 lbs. - Sam Hazewinkel, Guthrie, Okla. (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Dalton Roberts, Fowlerville, Mich. (New York AC/USOEC)
63 kg /138.75 lbs. - Jesse Thielke, Beresford, S.D. (New York AC/Legends of Gold)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - RaVaughn Perkins, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
77 kg/169.5 lbs. - Kamal Bey, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids/OTC)
82 kg/180.5 lbs. - Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets)
87 kg/191.5 lbs. - Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC/OTC)
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - G'Angelo Hancock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
130 kg/286 lbs. - Adam Coon, Fowlerville, Mich. (New York AC/Michigan RTC)
National Team Coaches - Matt Lindland, Momir Petkovic, Gary Mayabb (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
World Team Coaches - Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. and Zac Dominguez, Papillion, Neb.
Team Leader - Christina 'Kiki' Kelley, Minneapolis, Minn.
Referees - Zach Errett, Plainfield, Ind.; Umberto Fasolino, Cutchogue, N.Y., Casey Goessl, Omaha, Neb., Sammy Julian, Schuylkill Haven, Pa.
National Teams Staff - Les Gutches, Cody Bickley, Jaimie McNab
Doctor - Dr. Jason Holm
Athletic Trainers - Corey James (FS), Carrie Moore (W), Robert Rodriguez (GR)
Nutritionist - Rob Skinner
Massage Therapists - Cyrus Poitier, Amy Murry
Event Schedule (Budapest is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time)
Saturday, October 20
Men's freestyle - 61 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 125 kg (preliminaries through semifinals)
Sunday, October 21
Men's freestyle - 61 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 125 kg (repechage and finals)
Men's freestyle - 57 kg, 65 kg, 79 kg, 92 kg (preliminaries through semifinals)
Monday, October 22
Men's freestyle - 57 kg, 65 kg, 79 kg, 92 kg (repechage and finals)
Men's freestyle - 70 kg, 97 kg (preliminaries through semifinals)
Women's freestyle - 55 kg, 59 kg (preliminaries through semifinals)
Tuesday, October 23
Men's freestyle - 70 kg, 97 kg (repechage and finals)
Women's freestyle - 55 kg, 59 kg (repechage and finals)
Women's freestyle - 65 kg, 68 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg (preliminaries through semifinals)
Wednesday, October 24
Women's freestyle - 65 kg, 68 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg (repechage and finals)
Women's freestyle - 50 kg, 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg (preliminaries through semifinals)
Thursday, October 25
Women's freestyle - 50 kg, 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg (repechage and finals)
Greco-Roman - 55 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg (preliminaries through semifinals)
Friday, October 26
Greco-Roman - 55 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg (repechage and finals)
Greco-Roman - 60 kg, 67 kg, 87 kg (preliminaries through semifinals)
Saturday, October 27
Greco-Roman - 60 kg, 67 kg, 87 kg (repechage and finals)
Greco-Roman - 77 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg (preliminaries through semifinals)
Sunday, October 28
Greco-Roman - 77 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg (repechage and finals)
Colleges attended by World Team members as undergrads
Northern Michigan (Conder, Burkert, Clodgo, Roberts, Coleman), Daymar (Bey, Hancock), King (Hildebrandt, Molinari), Missouri Baptist (Maroulis, Molinari), Nebraska (Green, Burroughs), Ohio State (Stieber, Snyder), Simon Fraser (Maroulis, Velte), UCCS (Burkert, Gray), Binghamton (Gwiazdowski), Central Florida (Speiller), Cornell (Dake), Devry (Gray), Ellsworth CC (Perkins), Iowa (Gilman), Iowa Central (Colon), Michigan (Coon), Missouri (Cox), Missouri Valley (Winchester), NC State (Gwiazdowski), Nebraska-Kearney (Martinez), Northern Iowa (Colon), Oklahoma (Hazewinkel), Wayland Baptist (Mensah-Stock), Wisconsin (Thielke), Wyoming (Martinez)
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