For second straight year, Beauperthuy named USA Wrestling Associated Styles Athlete of the Year

Gabe Beauperthuy at the 2018 Grappling Worlds (left) and the 2017 U.S. Beach Nationals (right).


For the second year in a row, Gabe Beauperthuy of Colorado Springs, Colo. was selected as USA Wrestling’s Associated Styles Athlete of the Year.


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


Beauperthuy was selected from four finalists, who were nominated based upon performance at international and domestic competition in these styles.


In 2018, Beauperthuy won Veterans World titles in both No-Gi and Gi Grappling. He won three Veterans Nationals titles, in freestyle, Greco-Roman and Beach wrestling. On the Senior level, he was second in the Gi Grappling Nationals, third in the No-Gi Grappling Nationals and third in the Beach Nationals. Based upon his achievements in the Masters/Veterans division, he also earned the Masters Ironman Award for 2018.


The final selection was based upon both a Fan Vote on Twitter, and the voting of the members of ad-hoc Associated Styles Committee. The Twitter vote counted for 50% of the total, and the Associated Styles Committee vote counted for the other 50% of the total.


Placing second in the Associated Styles Athlete of the Year standings was 2018 Veterans World freestyle champion Kevin Pine of Las Vegas, Nev. Pine was also a silver medalist in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the 2018 U.S. Masters Nationals.


Third place went to Travis Clark of Fort Worth, Texas. Clark won Veterans World titles in both No-Gi and Gi Grappling. He also won a Senior World bronze medal in No-Gi Grappling. He was a 2018 Masters Nationals Greco-Roman champion and third in freestyle.


Steve Horton of Cibola, Texas was fourth. Horton won a silver medal at the Veterans World Championships in freestyle and a bronze medal in Greco-Roman.


The Twitter fan voting went to Pine, with 43%, followed by Clark with 24%, Beauperthuy with 21% and Horton with 12%. There were 599 fan votes submitted.

2018 Associated Styles Athlete of the Year

Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo.

• 2018 Veterans Grappling No-Gi World champion

• 2018 Veterans Grappling Gi World champion

• 2018 Masters Nationals Greco-Roman champion

• 2018 Masters Nationals freestyle champion

• 2018 Masters Beach National champion

• Third in 2018 Beach Senior Nationals

• Second in 2018 Senior Gi Grappling Nationals

• Third in 2018 Senior No-Gi Grappling Nationals

• 2018 Masters Ironman Award winner

Associated Styles Athlete of the Year final standings

1. Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo., 60.5 points

2. Kevin Pine, Las Vegas, Nev., 21.5 points

3. Travis Clark, Fort Worth, Texas, 12 points

4. Steve Horton, Cibola, Texas, 6 points

Fan Twitter Vote

1. Kevin Pine, 43%

2. Travis Clark, 24%

3. Gabe Beauperthuy, 21%

4. Steve Horton, 12%
599 total votes