UWW Cadet and University Nationals to be contested this weekend in Akron, Ohio

Kurt McHenry after winning the 2016 Cadet World Championship at 42 kg in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The UWW Cadet and University Nationals are set for this weekend, June 2-4, at the Louis and Freda Stile Athletic Field House on the campus of the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio.

Greco-Roman competition for both UWW Cadet and University will be held on Friday. The following two days will feature men’s freestyle action in both divisions. The tournament is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. (ET) on all three days of competition.

University competitors are those who are officially registered as proceeding toward a degree or diploma at a university or similar institute, or former students of the aforementioned institutions, who have obtained their academic degree or diploma in the year preceding the event.

The University freestyle division features some of the top college wrestlers in the country including 2014 NCAA champion Jason Tsirtsis (70 kg/154 lbs.), 2016 NCAA champion Myles Martin (86 kg/189 lbs.) and 2017 NCAA finalists Ethan Lizak (57 kg/125 lbs.) and Joey LaVallee (74 kg) and 2016 NCAA finalist Brandon Sorenson (70 kg).

Tsirtsis of Arizona State and Sorenson of Iowa are on a collision course at 70 kg.

Other notable college stars include two-time NCAA Div. I All-Americans Earl Hall of Iowa State, Kevin Jack of NC State and Daniel Lewis of Missouri, 2017 All-Americans Kaid Brock of Oklahoma State and Tanner Hall of Arizona State and 2016 All-American Pete Renda of NC State.

No returning freestyle champions from the 2016 University Nationals are expected to compete.

2016 Greco-Roman Junior World bronze medalist and 2017 Junior Greco World Team member Taylor LaMont is registered to compete in freestyle at 57 kg. LaMont is a student-athlete at Utah Valley.

Highlighting the participants on the University Greco side is G’Angelo Hancock, a 2016 Junior World bronze medalist and the 2017 U.S. Senior World Team member at 98 kg/215 lbs.

Hancock will seek another title this weekend in addition to the University crown as he challenges Junior Greco World Team Trials champion Blake Smith for the 2017 Junior World Team spot at 96 kg on Friday morning.

Two-time Junior World Team members and Northern Michigan teammates Randon Miranda and Dalton Roberts are likely to meet up in the 59 kg/130 lbs. bracket. Roberts won last year’s championship at 59 kg.

Other 2016 University Nationals champions returning to Akron include 2016 Olympic Trials runner-up Geordan Speiller (80 kg/176 lbs.), 2017 Junior World Team Trials champion Jesse Porter (75 kg/165 lbs.) and Austin Morrow (71 kg/156 lbs.).

Other notable Greco athletes include 2017 National Team member Jon Jay Chavez (80 kg) and 2016 U.S. National Team member Sam Jones (63 kg/139lbs.).

Jacob Kasper (98 kg) of Duke, Austin Schafer (98 kg) of Oklahoma State and Trace Engelkes (80 kg) of Northern Illinois turn their focuses to Greco after competing folkstyle during the college season.

The event also features competition for UWW Cadet athletes in men's freestyle and Greco-Roman. UWW Cadet wrestlers are those born 2000-2002.

The Cadet tournaments will serve as the UWW Cadet World Team Trials, with the winner of each bracket securing a spot on the 2017 Cadet World Team to represent the United States at the Cadet World Championships in Athens, Greece, Sept. 4-10.

Looking to return to the Cadet World Championships in freestyle is 2016 Cadet World champion Kurt McHenry (46 kg/101 lbs.) and 2016 Cadet World bronze medalist Travis Wittlake (76 kg/167 lbs.).

Wittlake was the only Cadet wrestler to earn USA Wrestling’s prestigious Triple Crown award in 2016, earning titles at the Cadet folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman national championships.

Three others that were 2016 freestyle and Greco national champs have entered the field. Nicholas Raimo (58 kg/128 lbs.) is set to compete in both freestyle and Greco this weekend, while Aaron Brooks (76 kg) and Ryan Karoly (85 kg/187 lbs.) are expected to compete only in freestyle.

Cohlton Schultz is featured in the 100 kg/220 lbs. bracket. In April, Schultz made the Junior Greco World Team at 120 kg and looks to make both the freestyle and Greco Cadet World Teams. Schultz was a 2016 Cadet Greco World teamer.

2016 Cadet Greco World Team member Malik Johnson has made the jump from 50 kg/110 lbs. in 2016 to 58 kg this year.

The top-eight placers in each bracket will qualify for the USMC Junior & Cadet National Championships in Fargo, N.D., July 14-22.

Every match from the UWW Cadet and University Nationals will be live streamed and archived online at Flowrestling.com. Brackets for the event will also be provided by Flowrestling on its FloArena platform. 

To view the live stream, one must be a member of Flowrestling’s FloPro premium service which prices out at $20 per month or $150 for an entire year subscription. 

To join the wrestling conversation online this weekend, use the hashtag #Akron2017 on all social media platforms. 

2017 UWW CADET AND UNIVERSITY NATIONALS
June 2-4 at Akron, Ohio
Event Schedule
Friday, June 2
9 a.m. (ET) – UWW Cadet and University Greco-Roman Preliminaries
3 p.m. (ET) – UWW Cadet and University Greco-Roman Finals
Saturday, June 3
9 a.m. (ET) – UWW Cadet and University Freestyle Preliminaries
3 p.m. (ET) – UWW Cadet and University Freestyle Preliminaries
Sunday, June 4
9 a.m. (ET) - UWW Cadet and University Freestyle Preliminaries through Finals

Watch: Flowrestling.com
Brackets: FloArena