U.S. Open preview: Molinaro in search of 65 kg solidification; New players could threaten Green's 70 kg dominance
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Photo: World bronze medalist James Green at the 2017 Freestyle World Cup in Kermanshah, Iran. Photo by Justin Hoch.
LAS VEGAS – The men’s freestyle season kicks into high gear this week with the U.S. Open Championships taking place at the South Point Hotel and Casino, April 28-29.
Up for grabs are seven qualification spots for the U.S. World Team Trials in all eight weight classes. On top of that, champions at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., 65 kg/143 lbs., 70 kg/154 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs. and 125 kg/275 lbs. earn automatic berths to the U.S. World Team Trials best-of-three championship series.
The event will run through the semifinals in all eight weights on Friday with the medal rounds and championship finals set for Saturday.
Flowrestling will provide a live stream of all the action and maintain event brackets and results on its FloArena platform. A FloPro subscription is required to watch the U.S. Open live stream.
USA Wrestling will preview all eight men’s freestyle weight classes in the lead up to the event. Today we feature 65 kg and 70 kg.
65 kg/143 lbs.
One year ago, Frank Molinaro (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) took command of the 65 kg weight class domestically, navigating from the No. 9 seed at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials to not only making the Olympic Team, but surging to fifth place at the Olympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Molinaro puts forth a gritty style, flustering opponents and capitalizing off errant mistakes. Since his Olympic run, Molinaro earned a gold medal at the Guelph International and competed as a member of the World Cup team that wrestled in Kermanshah, Iran back in February. He was a NCAA champion for Penn State in 2012.
The toughest test for Molinaro could come from teammate Zain Retherford (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) who is a two-time NCAA champion for Penn State and third place finisher at last year’s Olympic Trials. Retherford just completed his second undefeated season while at Penn State. He was awarded the Hodge Trophy as the nation’s best college wrestler for the 2016-17 season.
The Nittany Lion Wrestling Club teammates have not wrestled against one another in Senior-level competition.
2014 World Team member Jimmy Kennedy (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) is the defending 65 kg U.S. Open champion, and is neck-and-neck with all the top contenders in terms of talent and ability.
Kennedy finished in fourth place at the Olympic Trials last April, falling to Retherford on criteria, 2-2, in the 65 kg third-place match. He elected to compete at the 70 kg World Team Trials later that year, winding up in third. He dominated his way to gold at the Paris International in his last outing.
Three-time U.S. World Team Trials runner-up Jordan Oliver (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) is on a mission to crack his first World Team this summer. He owns the last win against Molinaro, Retherford and Kennedy making him a legitimate threat, and possibly to odds on favorite, to take his first U.S. Open crown.
Oliver lost in the 65 kg quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympic Trials to eventual runner-up Aaron Pico, 11-9. He returned to compete at the 2016 World Team Trials at 70 kg where he finished second to 2015 World bronze medalist James Green. He last competed at the Dave Schultz Memorial International in February, claiming gold at 70 kg.
Veteran talent Kellen Russell (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) could play spoiler to any of the four frontrunners in Las Vegas this week. He looked sharp in a third-place effort at the Dave Schultz Memorial in February, and picked up a bronze at the Guelph International in January.
Russell has been a major player in the 65 kg mix for the past five years. He was the U.S. Open champion and U.S. World Team Trials runner-up in 2013, and has placed in the top five of the U.S. Open every year since.
Two-time NCAA All-American Evan Henderson (Chapel Hill, N.C./Titan Mercury WC) announced himself to the weight class with a silver-medal performance at the Dave Schultz Memorial in February. He picked up a win over Russell in the semifinals of the event, and was the highest American finisher. Although lacing significant Senior-level experience, his potential makes him one to watch at 65 kg this week.
Other interesting notables to keep an eye on are Missouri’s freshman NCAA All-American Jaydin Eierman (Columbia, Mo./Missouri WF) and three-time NCAA All-American at Minnesota Chris Dardanes (Minneapolis, Minn./Titan Mercury WC).
Video: Jordan Oliver vs. Zain Retherford at the 2015 Dave Schultz Memorial International
Ranked U.S. Athletes Registered at 65 kg
1. Frank Molinaro, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
2. (At 70 kg) Jordan Oliver, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Zain Retherford, Benton, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
4. Jimmy Kennedy, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Michigan RTC)
6. Evan Henderson, Chapel Hill, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC)
7. Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC)
70 kg/154 lbs.
The 70 kg field puts forth one of the most entertaining brackets top-to-bottom this weekend. In terms of depth and varying skill sets, this weight class has it all.
The man to beat is 2015 World bronze medalist James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury WC), who has placed a stranglehold on 70 kg for the past two years. He has been a member of two U.S. World Teams, competing at the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas and the 2016 World Championships in Budapest. In addition, he has starred on the last two World Cup teams for the U.S.
Green recently won the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial held in early March and is on track for continued World-level success. He has not lost to an American opponent while competing at 70 kg since the quarterfinals of the 2015 U.S. Open, almost exactly two years ago. Green did attempt to make the Olympic Team at 65 kg, but was unable to perform at his peak ability going down in weight.
The list of contenders coming for Green this go around in Las Vegas features a mixed bag of old and new.
The well-established Senior-level names registered at 70 kg are Jason Chamberlain (Fresno, Calif./Titan Mercury WC), Nazar Kulchytskyy (Madison, Wis./Titan Mercury WC), Chase Pami (Philadelphia, Pa./Sunkist Kids) and Jason Welch (Evanston, Ill./Titan Mercury WC).
Chamberlain finished in fourth place at the 70 kg World Team Trials last November. He was a Pan American gold medalist in 2015, University World Team member in 2012 and two-time Junior World Team member. He has placed top eight at the U.S. Open the past three years.
Kulchytskyy has picked up two international medals thus far in 2017. He brought home a gold from the Cerro Pelado International and a bronze from the Dave Schultz Memorial in February. He finished in fourth place at the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials, giving Green all he wanted along the way.
Pami looked strong to open the 2017 season with a gold-medal performance at the Paris International. He has been hampered by injury in recent years, but appears to be back in form heading into Las Vegas.
Similar to Pami, Welch took a large amount of time off during last season and made his return at the Paris International where he earned a bronze. Pami defeated Welch heads up in the semifinals out in Paris.
Where this bracket becomes extremely interesting is the insertion of electric, but unproven freestyle talents like Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) and Dylan Ness (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Both Nolf and Ness have proven track records at the college level, Nolf a NCAA champion this year for Penn State and Ness a four-time All-American for Minnesota. Both possess unorthodox styles, and both have the potential to make a huge splash this weekend.
Past NCAA All-Americans Thomas Gantt (Raleigh, N.C./Titan Mercury WC), Hunter Stieber (Norman, Okla./Titan Mercury WC) and Alec Pantaleo (Canton, Mich./Michigan RTC) are additional names to watch.
Video: James Green vs. Nazar Kulchytskyy at the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials
Ranked U.S. Athletes Registered at 70 kg
1. James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC)
4. Jason Chamberlain, Fresno, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
5. Nazar Kulchytskyy, Madison, Wis. (Titan Mercury WC)
7. Chase Pami, Philadelphia, Pa. (Sunkist Kids/Philadelphia RTC)
8. Jason Welch, Evanston, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC)
10. Thomas Gantt, Raleigh, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC)
2017 U.S. OPEN MEN’S FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS
April 28-29 at South Point Hotel in Las Vegas
Event Schedule
Friday, April 28
9 a.m. (PT) – Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, and Consolation
7:30 p.m. (PT) – Semifinals
Saturday, April 29
9 a.m. (PT) – Consolation, Consolation Semifinals, 3rd, 5th, and 7th Place Matches
6 p.m. (PT) – Championship Finals
LAS VEGAS – The men’s freestyle season kicks into high gear this week with the U.S. Open Championships taking place at the South Point Hotel and Casino, April 28-29.
Up for grabs are seven qualification spots for the U.S. World Team Trials in all eight weight classes. On top of that, champions at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., 65 kg/143 lbs., 70 kg/154 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs. and 125 kg/275 lbs. earn automatic berths to the U.S. World Team Trials best-of-three championship series.
The event will run through the semifinals in all eight weights on Friday with the medal rounds and championship finals set for Saturday.
Flowrestling will provide a live stream of all the action and maintain event brackets and results on its FloArena platform. A FloPro subscription is required to watch the U.S. Open live stream.
USA Wrestling will preview all eight men’s freestyle weight classes in the lead up to the event. Today we feature 65 kg and 70 kg.
65 kg/143 lbs.
One year ago, Frank Molinaro (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) took command of the 65 kg weight class domestically, navigating from the No. 9 seed at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials to not only making the Olympic Team, but surging to fifth place at the Olympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Molinaro puts forth a gritty style, flustering opponents and capitalizing off errant mistakes. Since his Olympic run, Molinaro earned a gold medal at the Guelph International and competed as a member of the World Cup team that wrestled in Kermanshah, Iran back in February. He was a NCAA champion for Penn State in 2012.
The toughest test for Molinaro could come from teammate Zain Retherford (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) who is a two-time NCAA champion for Penn State and third place finisher at last year’s Olympic Trials. Retherford just completed his second undefeated season while at Penn State. He was awarded the Hodge Trophy as the nation’s best college wrestler for the 2016-17 season.
The Nittany Lion Wrestling Club teammates have not wrestled against one another in Senior-level competition.
2014 World Team member Jimmy Kennedy (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) is the defending 65 kg U.S. Open champion, and is neck-and-neck with all the top contenders in terms of talent and ability.
Kennedy finished in fourth place at the Olympic Trials last April, falling to Retherford on criteria, 2-2, in the 65 kg third-place match. He elected to compete at the 70 kg World Team Trials later that year, winding up in third. He dominated his way to gold at the Paris International in his last outing.
Three-time U.S. World Team Trials runner-up Jordan Oliver (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) is on a mission to crack his first World Team this summer. He owns the last win against Molinaro, Retherford and Kennedy making him a legitimate threat, and possibly to odds on favorite, to take his first U.S. Open crown.
Oliver lost in the 65 kg quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympic Trials to eventual runner-up Aaron Pico, 11-9. He returned to compete at the 2016 World Team Trials at 70 kg where he finished second to 2015 World bronze medalist James Green. He last competed at the Dave Schultz Memorial International in February, claiming gold at 70 kg.
Veteran talent Kellen Russell (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) could play spoiler to any of the four frontrunners in Las Vegas this week. He looked sharp in a third-place effort at the Dave Schultz Memorial in February, and picked up a bronze at the Guelph International in January.
Russell has been a major player in the 65 kg mix for the past five years. He was the U.S. Open champion and U.S. World Team Trials runner-up in 2013, and has placed in the top five of the U.S. Open every year since.
Two-time NCAA All-American Evan Henderson (Chapel Hill, N.C./Titan Mercury WC) announced himself to the weight class with a silver-medal performance at the Dave Schultz Memorial in February. He picked up a win over Russell in the semifinals of the event, and was the highest American finisher. Although lacing significant Senior-level experience, his potential makes him one to watch at 65 kg this week.
Other interesting notables to keep an eye on are Missouri’s freshman NCAA All-American Jaydin Eierman (Columbia, Mo./Missouri WF) and three-time NCAA All-American at Minnesota Chris Dardanes (Minneapolis, Minn./Titan Mercury WC).
Video: Jordan Oliver vs. Zain Retherford at the 2015 Dave Schultz Memorial International
Ranked U.S. Athletes Registered at 65 kg
1. Frank Molinaro, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
2. (At 70 kg) Jordan Oliver, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Zain Retherford, Benton, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
4. Jimmy Kennedy, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Michigan RTC)
6. Evan Henderson, Chapel Hill, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC)
7. Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC)
70 kg/154 lbs.
The 70 kg field puts forth one of the most entertaining brackets top-to-bottom this weekend. In terms of depth and varying skill sets, this weight class has it all.
The man to beat is 2015 World bronze medalist James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury WC), who has placed a stranglehold on 70 kg for the past two years. He has been a member of two U.S. World Teams, competing at the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas and the 2016 World Championships in Budapest. In addition, he has starred on the last two World Cup teams for the U.S.
Green recently won the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial held in early March and is on track for continued World-level success. He has not lost to an American opponent while competing at 70 kg since the quarterfinals of the 2015 U.S. Open, almost exactly two years ago. Green did attempt to make the Olympic Team at 65 kg, but was unable to perform at his peak ability going down in weight.
The list of contenders coming for Green this go around in Las Vegas features a mixed bag of old and new.
The well-established Senior-level names registered at 70 kg are Jason Chamberlain (Fresno, Calif./Titan Mercury WC), Nazar Kulchytskyy (Madison, Wis./Titan Mercury WC), Chase Pami (Philadelphia, Pa./Sunkist Kids) and Jason Welch (Evanston, Ill./Titan Mercury WC).
Chamberlain finished in fourth place at the 70 kg World Team Trials last November. He was a Pan American gold medalist in 2015, University World Team member in 2012 and two-time Junior World Team member. He has placed top eight at the U.S. Open the past three years.
Kulchytskyy has picked up two international medals thus far in 2017. He brought home a gold from the Cerro Pelado International and a bronze from the Dave Schultz Memorial in February. He finished in fourth place at the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials, giving Green all he wanted along the way.
Pami looked strong to open the 2017 season with a gold-medal performance at the Paris International. He has been hampered by injury in recent years, but appears to be back in form heading into Las Vegas.
Similar to Pami, Welch took a large amount of time off during last season and made his return at the Paris International where he earned a bronze. Pami defeated Welch heads up in the semifinals out in Paris.
Where this bracket becomes extremely interesting is the insertion of electric, but unproven freestyle talents like Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) and Dylan Ness (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Both Nolf and Ness have proven track records at the college level, Nolf a NCAA champion this year for Penn State and Ness a four-time All-American for Minnesota. Both possess unorthodox styles, and both have the potential to make a huge splash this weekend.
Past NCAA All-Americans Thomas Gantt (Raleigh, N.C./Titan Mercury WC), Hunter Stieber (Norman, Okla./Titan Mercury WC) and Alec Pantaleo (Canton, Mich./Michigan RTC) are additional names to watch.
Video: James Green vs. Nazar Kulchytskyy at the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials
Ranked U.S. Athletes Registered at 70 kg
1. James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC)
4. Jason Chamberlain, Fresno, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
5. Nazar Kulchytskyy, Madison, Wis. (Titan Mercury WC)
7. Chase Pami, Philadelphia, Pa. (Sunkist Kids/Philadelphia RTC)
8. Jason Welch, Evanston, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC)
10. Thomas Gantt, Raleigh, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC)
2017 U.S. OPEN MEN’S FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS
April 28-29 at South Point Hotel in Las Vegas
Event Schedule
Friday, April 28
9 a.m. (PT) – Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, and Consolation
7:30 p.m. (PT) – Semifinals
Saturday, April 29
9 a.m. (PT) – Consolation, Consolation Semifinals, 3rd, 5th, and 7th Place Matches
6 p.m. (PT) – Championship Finals
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