It feels like this week really kicks off the summer months of competition. Cadets and Juniors representing Team USA are in Oaxtepec, Mexico for the Pan Am Championships right now, and Team Wisconsin 14U and 16U wrestlers are in Indiana for National Duals—the 14U in Franklin and 16U in Westfield. 

Let’s backtrack to the beginning of the spring season to see how we got here, and where Wisconsin is at in the mix as various individuals, teams and the WWF wrapped up a string of incredibly successful tournaments and qualifying events. 

In the weeks following the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Wisconsin wrestlers (natives and transplants) hit the mats in multiple states pursuing various age-level World, Pan-Am and Fargo teams. 

Boys UWW Cadet, U15 and Futures Nationals—Wisconsin Dells, WI
USA Wrestling hosted the boys UWW Cadet, U15 and Futures Nationals in Wisconsin Dells, April 23-25. The event determined the Cadet World Teams in both Freestyle and Greco. Champions from both styles earned the right to represent the United States at the Cadet World Championships this summer in Budapest, Hungary (July). Connor Mirasola placed highest for Wisconsin with a second-place performance at 80kg. Koy Hopke (110kg) placed third and a number of other Cadets earned All-American status. 

In the U15 division, USA Wrestling determined that the highest placers across the Greco-Roman and Freestyle divisions will represent the United States at the U15 Pan American Championships in Mexico City, Mexico in October. Two Wisconsin wrestlers, Haakon Peterson (41kg) and Aeoden Sinclair (75kg), earned that right with their first-place performances in both styles. In post event interviews, Haaken said he’s excited about going to Mexico City to wrestle someone from a different country and to get a foreign feel. Sinclair noted his excitement and how cool it is to be part of an organization that builds its athletes up.

Below is the list of Wisconsin wrestlers that earned All-American status in the Dells at the Boys Cadet, U15 and Futures Nationals.

Freestyle: Cadet All-Americans

• Connor Mirasola placed 2nd at 80kg
• Koy Hopke placed 3rd at 110kg
• Benjamin Bast placed 4th at 48kg
• Braeden Scoles placed 4th at 71kg
• Max Ramberg placed 5th at 92kg
• Greyson Clark placed 7th at 60kg

Greco: Cadet All-Americans

• Koy Hopke placed 3rd at 110kg 
• Ryder Depies placed 4th at 92kg
• Jake Hall placed 7th at 60kg
• Gunnar Hamre placed 7th at 65kg

• Turner Campbell placed 8th at 51kg
• Jacob Hansen placed 8th at 80kg

Freestyle: U15 Nationals All-Americans

• Haakon Peterson placed 1st at 41kg
• Aeoden Sinclair placed 1st at 75kg
• Garret Kawczynski placed 2nd at 85kg
• Caleb Noble placed 3rd at 38kg
• Espyn Sweers placed 3rd at 85kg
• Joshua Francis placed 5th at 85kg
• Tyson Martin placed 6th at 75kg

Greco: Wisconsin U15 Nationals All-Americans

• Haakon Peterson placed 1st at 41kg
• Aeoden Sinclair placed 1st at 75kg
• Garret Kawczynski placed 1st at 85kg
• Joshua Francis placed 5th at 85kg
• Jesse Penchi placed 8th at 62kg
• Treston Eckstein placed 8th at 68kg
• Tyson Martin placed 8th at 75kg

Futures: The boys Futures Nationals was also wrestled alongside the Cadet and Freestyle events in the Dells. Check out USA Wrestling’s list of placers, here.

Boys Junior World Team Trials—Coralville, Iowa
The Boys Freestyle and Greco Junior World Teams were determined the following weekend in Coralville, Iowa alongside the 2021 Senior Nationals. Winners compete at the Junior World Championships in Ufa, Russia, August 16-22. Keegan O’Toole (74kg) put together a first-place performance in the freestyle division, and Braxton Amos (97kg) claimed the World Team spot in both freestyle and Greco. Payton Jacobson (67kg) and Tyler Hannah (87kg) placed second in Greco at their respective weights and are representing Team USA at the Junior Pan Am Championships this week in Mexico City. Jacobson and Hannah wrestle on Wednesday, June 9th and Hannah competes again in Freestyle on Sunday the 13th. 

Women’s Nationals—Irving, Texas
The next weekend, from May 7-9, more than a thousand women wrestled in Irving, Texas at Women’s Nationals—a three-day event equivalent to the series that determines World Teams for the men. The ladies were competing for a spot on the Cadet, Junior and U23 World or U15 Pan Am team. At the end of the weekend, Wisconsin wrestlers earned four World Team and one Pan Am Team spots. 

In the Junior division, Kylie Welker earned the 76kg World Team spot and the right to represent the United States in Ufa, Russia, in August. Josie Bartishofski (55kg) placed 5th, Sophie Smith (57kg) and Mateah Roehl (53kg) placed 6th. In the Cadet division, Hanna Errthum (61kg) placed 4th, Faith Bartoszek (65kg) placed 5thand Marisa Roth (65kg) placed 8th. 

Ronna Heaton (53kg), Michaela Beck (59 kg) and Kylie Welker (76kg) won their brackets in the U23 division and will represent the United States at the 2021 U23 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, Nov. 1-7. Heaton is originally from South Dakota, and Beck is from New York. Alisha Howk placed 2nd at 53kg, and Gabby Skidmore placed 4th at 57kg. 

Faith Bartoszek (66kg) won the U15 division with a 5-0 performance and will represent the United States at the U15 Pan American Championships in Mexico City, Mexico, Oct. 21-24. Carley Cesker placed 3rd at 50kg, (6-1). In the 12U division, Dilynn Albrecht placed 2nd at 75lbs, Harlow Skenandore placed 3rd at 100lbs and Alexa Thomas placed 5th at 70lbs. 

WWF Greco and Freestyle State Championships—Wisconsin Dells, WI
That very same weekend, May 8-9, the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation hosted its annual Freestyle and Greco State Championships. In the boy’s freestyle and Greco divisions the top three place-winners earned their place on Team Wisconsin for the upcoming 16U and Junior Nationals (Fargo). Check out the full results here: Girls | Boys Freestyle | Boys Greco

Northern Plains Regional Championships—Wisconsin Dells, WI
The following weekend, May 14-15, the WWF hosted Northern Plains Regional Championships—one of USA Wrestling’s six historic regional event series. States in the Northern Plains region are Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska, but wrestlers from across the nation can compete in any one of the six events. The top-4 place-winners earned the right to represent their state at the U.S. Marine Corps 16U and Junior Nationals (Fargo) this July. Wisconsin had a combined 23 champions between the boys and girls 16U and Junior divisions. 

16U Greco

• Brett Back (145)
• Zachary Eliszewski (152)
• Ian Smith (182)
• Ryder Depies (195)
• Vanden Hoffman (220)
• Evan Gratz (285) 

Junior Greco

• Matthew Rogge (160)
• Jared Strickler (170) 
• John Gunderson (195)

16U Freestyle

• Lincoln Flayter (94) 
• Charlie Millard (152)
• Cole Mirasola (182)
• Koy Hopke (220)
• Jesus Gonzalez (285) 

Girls Freestyle

• Bopasoreya Quintana (106)
• Rose Ann Marshall (112)
• Brooke Crawley (117)
• Larissa Kaz (127)
• Hanna Errthum (132)
• Alex Hofrichter (152)

Junior Freestyle

• Connor Thorpe (145)
• Jared Stricker (170) 
• John Gunderson (195)

Men’s U23 World Team Trials—Lincoln, Nebraska
The most recent qualifying event was the Men’s U23 World Team Trials that took place in Nebraska from May 27-29. Wisconsin had a number of wrestlers in contention for the U23 World Team for Belgrade, Serbia, in November. In the Greco Division, Alston Nutter (67kg) and Benji Peak (72kg) put together first-place performances and earned their spots on the 2021 U23 World Team. Brady and Dylan Koontz finished in second place at 55kg and 60kg, respectively. 

Over the last two months the WWF has been hosting 2021 Training Team Camps for the boys and girls teams in each style, acquainting teammates  and preparing our team for past events and the upcoming summer season. 

After a year-long hiatus from a Freestyle or Greco season, Team Wisconsin is back in action! 

Up Next 
June 10-13: Boys 14U and 16U National Duals
June 15-19: Boys and Girls Junior National Duals
June 24-26: USA Wrestling Kids Nationals
July 16-23: Boys and Girls 16U and Junior Nationals (Fargo)

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