Not only are the events plentiful, they are extremely relevant. The key events in this month serve as powerful identifying tools for top prospects at each of the age/grade levels involved.
USA Wrestling Schoolboy National Duals (June 4-7)
This event will be held at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis starting tomorrow, and going through Sunday. Top wrestlers born in 2001 and 2002, some who will be in ninth grade come the fall with others going to be in junior high, are featured in the event.
The Greco-Roman competition is tomorrow and Friday, while freestyle is contested on Saturday and Sunday. Illinois finished as runner-up in both competitions last year, Colorado winning Greco-Roman and Pennsylvania taking gold in freestyle. With these Olympic styles, it's a pretty safe bet to anoint Illinois as a primary title contender.
USA Wrestling Cadet National Duals (June 10-13)
For the last few years, the event had been held in Daytona Beach, Fla. However, this year the event moves to York, Pa., at the York Expo Center. Top wrestlers born in 1999 and 2000 are the featured participants; generally speaking, this involves wrestlers that will be entering ninth, tenth, or eleventh grade this coming fall.
The Greco-Roman competition starts one week from today and concludes next Thursday, while freestyle competition is scheduled for next Friday and Saturday. For at least a second straight year, Illinois swept titles in both styles last year; they beat Ohio for the Greco-Roman title, and Pennsylvania for the freestyle title. Teams from those three states should be among the primary contenders; given location and talent, look for New Jersey to contend, while Iowa and Minnesota should bring talented teams (as the Northern Plains Cadet Regional no longer conflicts).
UWW Junior World Team Trials (June 12)
Held one day before the U.S. World Team Trials at the same facility, while is the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., this event will feature top wrestlers born between 1995 and 1998 competing in freestyle. Wrestlers that won titles at the UWW Junior National Championships last month have a bye into the final, while other wrestlers will seek to navigate the challenge tournament for the right to qualify for this year's Junior World Championships to be held in Brazil during mid-August.
USA Wrestling Junior National Duals (June 24-27)
Oklahoma won the Junior National Duals in freestyle last year (Photo/Austin Bernard)The host state was in the final in both styles last year, winning freestyle over Minnesota after losing in Greco-Roman to Michigan. This showcase event of the wrestling season is always a wide open slugfest between the top few states in terms of talent and organization. Look for teams from Oklahoma, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, New Jersey, and Illinois to be the primary contenders.
AAU Scholastic Duals (June 28-July 2)
This event features folkstyle competition in both district and community divisions. The district all-star division features an elite field of talent with teams assembled among top wrestlers in a given geographic area; while the community division features teams primarily from one high school squad (with a select few wrestlers allowed from outside that high school roster).
The district competition will start first this year, going off on Sunday 6/28 and concluding on Wednesday, July 1, with community competition going from Monday 6/29 through Thursday, July 2. Both events will be held at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex outside of Orlando.
Young Guns Black will be after a third consecutive title in the district division, having dominated the field last year for a repeat tournament title. Last year's roster featured five wrestlers that would go on to win state titles during the 2014-15 season. The Community division champions last year were Dakota, Ill. That team would end up winning the small-school state title in Illinois this past season.
ASICS Kids Freestyle and Greco-Roman Nationals (July 1-2)
This event is the last two legs of the Triple Crown for all age groups Schoolboy and below. The folkstyle championships were determined in early April in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Titles in the two Olympic styles will be decided in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Greco-Roman competition will be held on July 1, while freestyle competition is on July 2.
Last but not least …
The initial update of grade rankings for the 2015-16 season will be published during this month. Look for them to be posted between the Cadet Duals and the Junior Duals. The top 100 seniors from the Class of 2016 will be unveiled for the first time in such format. Also included will be top 50 wrestlers from the Class of 2017 and 2018, top 25 wrestlers from the Class of 2019, and a top 15 list for junior high wrestlers (Class of 2020 and beyond).
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