Elite Accelerator Program

Inspired by Olympic champions Henry Cejudo and Kyle Snyder, who trained full-time at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center (USOPTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo., while in high school, USA Wrestling’s Elite Accelerator Program (EAP) is a progressive developmental movement aimed at molding young wrestlers into future World and Olympic Champions. 

Elite athletes who are either still in high school or are focused full-time in the Olympic wrestling styles in the years immediately after high school (before enrolling in college wrestling), are selected for the Elite Accelerator Program as part of an application process.  

These EAP athletes train with our country’s top-ranked Senior-level athletes, including the full-time USOPTC resident athletes, and receive direct instruction from the USA Wrestling’s professional National Team Coaches and others on a daily basis. The program also focuses on the educational success and personal development of these young athletes while in the EAP program. Based upon the success of EAP athletes in the three Olympic styles (men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman), USA Wrestling believes that the athletes training in this environment will be more comfortable and successful at World and Olympic competitions.  

Cejudo, an age-group star, lived and trained at the USOPTC as a high school junior and senior, and went on to become the youngest U.S. wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal, with his victory at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China at age 21. Snyder, an age-group star from Maryland, came to live and train full-time at the USOPTC as a high school senior, then later beat Cejudo’s record by becoming the youngest U.S. wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal, with his victory at the 1996 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil at age 20. Although not yet called the EAP program, the process that led to success for Cejudo and Snyder developed into today’s EAP program, which was officially launched in 2017. 

The program has had some tremendous success already. Aaron Brooks, an age-group World medalist from Maryland who spent a season with the EAP program, went on to win four NCAA titles for Penn State, then claim a bronze medal in men’s freestyle at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. Daniel Kerkvliet, an age-group World champion from Minnesota, later won an NCAA title for Penn State and has qualified for the Senior National Team.  

In women’s freestyle, Macey Kilty of Wisconsin, an age-group World medalist, has gone on to win two Senior World medals for the United States. Emma Bruntil of Washington, an age-group Pan American medalist, went on to make a Senior World Team, win two Senior National titles, and claim two NCWWC college national titles for McKendree University.  Tiare Ikei of Hawaii, an age-group World medalist, went on to claim a U.S. Senior Nationals title and qualify for the Senior National team. Cameron Guerin of Washington, an age-group Pan American champion, went on to win four NCWWC college national titles for McKendree University as well qualify for the Senior National team.  

In Greco-Roman, Cohlton Schultz, an age-group World medalist from Colorado, went on to become an NCAA runner-up for Arizona State, as well as qualify for three U.S. Senior World Greco-Roman Teams.  

Although the EAP program took a short hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program is back in full strength. The USA Wrestling National Developmental Coach in each of the Olympic disciplines oversee the EAP program, with support from the other USA Wrestling professional National Coaches as well as others in USA Wrestling’s National Teams Department.