The Big Squeeze – Olympic Trails Qualifiers Men’s Freestyle
The Big Squeeze – Olympic Trails Qualifiers Men’s Freestyle
3/28/2024
Photo Credit: Durwood Tenny/Chasing Greatness
With only one more qualifying event remaining, (Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier April 6-7) the possible field for the Trials is now in sharp focus. Set aside that it makes no sense to reduce the field from 10 international weights to 6 Olympic weights. The depth of talent in men’s freestyle is staggering. Four of the six weight classes have athletes who have earned the right to sit out until the best of three finals. Kyle Dake (74kg), David Taylor (86kg), Kyle Snyder (97kg) and Mason Parris (125kg).
In the remaining two weight classes, two athletes have earned a spot in the semi-finals of the challenge tournament. At 57kg Vitali Arujau, 2023 Senior World champion at 61 kg, while in the 65kg weight class, 2023 Senior World champion at 70 kg – Zain Retherford await their challenge tournament competitors.
Pick some favorites then sit back and enjoy what should be the greatest Trials in history.
Non-Olympic weight qualifiers
2023 U17 World champion 55 kg – Marcus Blaze (Perrysburg WC)
2024 NCAA Div. I champion at 125 lbs. – Richard Figueroa (Arizona State)
57 KG
Challenge Tournament participants
2023 World Team member – Zane Richards (Titan Mercury WC/Illini WC)
2020 Olympic Team member – Thomas Gilman (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
2019 World Team member – Daton Fix (Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC)
2023 Bill Farrell champion – Spencer Lee (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals runner-up – Nico Megaludis (Pitt WC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals third place – Liam Cronin (Nebraska Wrestling Training Center)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fourth place – Daniel DeShazer (Gopher Wrestling Club – RTC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fifth place – Luke Lilledahl (X-Calibur Athletics WC)
2024 Final Olympic Trials Qualifier champion –
Non-Olympic weight qualifiers
2023 Senior World champion at 61 kg – Vitali Arujau (Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat RTC)**
2022 World Team member 61 kg – Seth Gross (Sunkist Kids/Wisconsin RTC)
2019 World Team member 61 kg – Tyler Graff (New York AC/New Jersey RTC)
2018 World Team member 61 kg – Joe Colon (Titan Mercury WC)
2018 World Final Trials champion – Nahshon Garrett (Titan Mercury WC/Lehigh Valley WC)
2024 Pan American Championships champion at 61 kg – Nick Suriano (New Jersey)
2024 NCAA Div. I champion at 141 pounds – Jesse Mendez (Ohio State)
65 KG
Challenge Tournament participants
2023 World Team member – Nick Lee (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
2022 World Team member – Yianni Diakomihalis (Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat RTC)
2019 World Team/2023 Senior World champion at 70 kg – Zain Retherford (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)**
2018 World Team member – Logan Stieber (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
2023 Bill Farrell champion – Kaleb Larkin (Sunkist Kids)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals champion – Andrew Alirez (NCRTC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals runner-up – Beau Bartlett (NLWC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals third place – Joseph McKenna (Penn RTC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fifth place – Austin DeSanto (HWC/TMWC)
2024 Final Olympic Trials Qualifier champion –
Non-Olympic weight qualifiers
2021 World Team member 70 kg – James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC)
2023 U20 World champion 70 kg – Meyer Shapiro (Spartan Combat RTC)
2023 U17 World champion 71 kg – Ladarion Lockett (Cowboy WC)
2024 Pan American Championships champion at 70 kg – Alec Pantaleo (CKWC/TMWC)
2024 NCAA Div. I champion at 149 pounds – Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech)
2024 NCAA Div. I champion at 157 pounds – Levi Haines (Penn State)
74 KG
Best of Three Championship Series
2023 Senior World silver medal at Olympic weight – Kyle Dake (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
Challenge Tournament participants
2019 World Team member – Jordan Burroughs (Sunkist Kids/Pennsylvania RTC)
2023 U20 World champion – Mitchell Mesenbrink (Askren Wrestling Academy)
2023 U23 World champion – Keegan O’Toole (Tiger Style WC)
2023 Bill Farrell champion – Jason Nolf (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals champion – Quincy Monday (NJRTC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals runner-up – Alex Marinelli (HWC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals third place – Alex Facundo (NLWC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fourth place – Jarrett Jacques (Tiger Style WC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fifth place – Tyler Berger (Pennsylvania RTC)
2024 Final Olympic Trials Qualifier champion –
Non-Olympic weight qualifiers
2023 World Team member 79 kg – Chance Marsteller (Titan Mercury WC/NYC RTC)
2024 NCAA Div. I champion at 165 lbs. – David Carr (Iowa State)
2024 NCAA Div. I champion at 174 lbs. – Carter Starocci (Penn State)
2024 NCAA Div. I champion at 184 lbs. – Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa)
86 KG
Best of Three Championship Series
2023 Senior World champion at Olympic weight – David Taylor, State College, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
Challenge Tournament participants
2019 World Team member – Patrick Downey (Sanford MMA)
2023 U23 World champion – Aaron Brooks (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
2023 Bill Farrell champion – Trent Hidlay (Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals champion – Alex Dieringer (CKWC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals runner-up – Mark Hall (Penn RTC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals third place – Maxwell Dean (NLWC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fourth place – Connor Mirasola (Askren Wrestling Academy)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fifth place – Evan Wick (SoCal RTC/TMWC)
2024 Final Olympic Trials Qualifier champion –
Non-Olympic weight qualifiers
2023 Senior World bronze medalist at 92 kg – Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids)**
2022 World Team member 92 kg – J’den Cox (Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC)
97 KG
Best of Three Championship Series
2023 Senior World bronze medalist at Olympic weight – Kyle Snyder (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
Challenge Tournament participants
2023 U23 World champion – Isaac Trumble (Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack WC)
2023 Bill Farrell champion – Michael Macchiavello (Titan Mercury WC/Lehigh Valley WC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals champion – Kollin Moore (Ohio RTC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals runner-up – Nathan Jackson (New York Athletic Club)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals third place – Jonathan Aiello (Cavalier WC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fourth place – Eric Schultz (Nebraska Wrestling Training Center)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fifth place – Anthony Cassioppi (HWC/TMWC)
2024 Final Olympic Trials Qualifier champion –
125 KG
Best of Three Championship Series
2023 Senior World bronze medalist at Olympic weight – Mason Parris (Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC)
Challenge Tournament participants
2020 Olympic Team member – Gable Steveson (Gopher WC RTC)
2022 World Team member – Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC RTC)
2021 World Team member – Nick Gwiazdowski (Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat WC)
2023 U23 World champion – Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force RTC)
2023 Bill Farrell runner-up – Christian Lance (Sunkist Kids)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals champion – Dominique Bradley (Sunkist Kids WC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals third place – Gary Traub (Cowboy RTC/TMWC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fourth place – Demertius Thomas (Pittsburgh WC)
Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fifth place – Trent Hillger (Gopher Wrestling Club – RTC)
2024 Final Olympic Trials Qualifier champion –
Non-Olympic weight qualifiers
2024 NCAA Div. I champion at 286 lbs. – Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State)
** – By winning 2023 World medal at non-Olympic weight, these athletes advance to the semifinals of the Olympic Trials Challenge Tournament, at the Olympic weight class either up or down from where they won the World medal.