Multi-discipline star Gabe Beauperthuy named 2017 Associated Styles Athlete of the Year

Gabe Beauperthuy (right) battles Ike Okoli in the finals of the 2017 U.S. Beach Nationals at Carolina Beach, N.C. Photo by Patricia Fox


Gabe Beauperthuy of Colorado Springs, Colo., who competes at a high level in a number of wrestling styles, was named the first Associated Styles Athlete of the Year by USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling in the United States.


Beauperthuy was selected from a field of four finalists, which also included Veterans Greco-Roman World champion Hedj Nelson of Colville, Wash., Veterans freestyle World champion George Porter of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and Gi Grappling World champion Breanna Stikkelman of Simi Valley, Calif.


The Associated Styles program for USA Wrestling includes Grappling, Beach Wrestling, Belt Wrestling, Pankration and Pahlavani wrestling, as well as the USA Wrestling Veterans programs in all styles of wrestling.


The selection included a Fan Twitter vote, which counted for 50% of the total, plus voting from the members of USA Wrestling’s Ad-hoc Associated Styles Committee.


Beauperthuy competed in two World Championships in the Associated Styles this year, the Beach World Championships in Turkey and the Grappling World Championships in Azerbaijan.


He placed fifth in the unlimited division at the Beach World Championships, reaching the medal round, which along with Michael Peters was the top finish for Team USA at the event.


At the Grappling World Championships, he was a double champion in the Veterans division, taking gold in the No-Gi and Gi divisions. He was also a member of the Senior Grappling World Team in the Gi discipline, where he did not reach the medal rounds.


Beauperthuy was a 2017 U.S. Beach Nationals champion at unlimited. He also won the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials in the Gi discipline, and placed third in No-Gi. Beauperthuy also was a silver medalist in the Veterans National Championships in Greco-Roman. He was fourth in the 2017 U.S. Masters Ironman standings.


Beauperthuy also competes in Belt Wrestling. Earlier in his career, he was a Senior Greco-Roman National Team member.


The Fan Twitter vote, which counted for half the total, was claimed by Hedj Nelson, who won the Veterans Worlds in Greco-Roman in Div. E at 62 kg, and was second in the Veterans Worlds in freestyle. The fan voting finished like this: Hedj Nelson (37%), Gabe Beauperthuy (29%), George Porter (22%), Breanna Stikkelman (12%). There were 417 votes in the first-ever fan poll for the award.


USA Wrestling will announce its 2018 Associated Styles schedule after the New Year.

2017 USA Wrestling Associated Styles Athlete of the Year

Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo.

• 2017 Senior Grappling World Team member in Gi (dnp at Unlimited)

• Fifth in the 2017 Senior Beach World Championships (Unlimited)

• 2017 Veterans World champion in Grappling in Gi and No-Gi (40-44 yrs., Unlimited)

• 2017 U.S. Beach Nationals champion (Unlimited)

• 2017 U.S. Grappling World Team Trials champion in Gi

• Third in 2017 U.S. Grappling World Team Trials in No-Gi

• Second in 2017 U.S. Masters Nationals in Greco-Roman (Div. B, 130 kg)

• Fourth in U.S. Masters Ironman standings