Folkstyle Nationals alumni list loaded with past and present college stars
by Andy Hamilton, Trackwrestling
The alumni list for USA Wrestling's Folkstyle Nationals includes Olympians, Hodge Trophy winners, age-division World medalists, dozens of Division I All-Americans, national champions and an offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams.
Of the 80 wrestlers who stood on the awards podium earlier this month at the NCAA Championships, at least 25 of them also earned All-America honors at the USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals. That list includes national champions Seth Gross, Zahid Valenica, Mark Hall and Bo Nickal.
Five years before they won back-to-back national titles as Penn State teammates, Mark Hall and Bo Nickal battled it out in the 152-pound Cadet quarterfinals inside the UNI-Dome on the University of Northern Iowa campus. Nickal won a 14-12 decision on his way to the title. Hall wrestled back to take true second.
The star-studded cast of finalists in 2012 also included Cadet World champ Aaron Pico, All-Americans Jack Mueller, Kaid Brock, Matthew Koldzik, Tommy Thorn, Brandon Sorensen, Alex Meyer, Willie Miklus and Adam Coon.
Four of the wrestlers who stood atop the podium at the 2014 NCAA Championships — Jesse Delgado, Jason Tsirtsis, Alex Dieringer and Chris Perry — also won titles at the Folkstyle Nationals. In fact, Dieringer won a Junior title in 2010 by beating Dylan Ness 6-5 in the finals at 145 pounds. Four years and 12 pounds later, they wrestled on the big stage at the NCAA Championships for the crown at 157.
Greco-Roman Olympians Jesse Thielke, Ben Provisor and Jake Deitchler won medals in Cedar Falls. Deitchler claimed a Cadet title in 2005. Thielke won Cadet and Junior titles in 2008 and 2009.
Folkstyle Nationals finals appearances helped springboard rising stars like Daton Fix, Gable Steveson, Jacob Warner, Will Lewan and Travis Wittlake on their way to international medals at the Cadet and Junior levels. While Wittlake and Steveson were winning Bantam titles as little guys in 2008, Austin Blythe was on his way to the Cadet heavyweight title. Blythe is now a third-year pro with the Los Angeles Rams.
Here’s a list of some of the notable names who have placed at the Folkstyle Nationals since 2005:
2016
Drew Mattin — Junior third at 126
Will Lewan — Junior champion at 145
2015
Mitch McKee — Junior champ at 132
Max Thomsen — Junior champ at 145
Cash Wilcke — Junior third at 195
2014
Gabe Townsell — Junior runner-up at 126
Jaydin Eierman — Junior fourth at 138
Grant Leeth — Junior champ at 145
Bryce Steiert — Junior champ at 160
Jacob Holschlag — Junior champ at 170
Jacob Warner — Junior runner-up at 170
Beau Breske — Junior runner-up at 182
2013
Daton Fix — Cadet champ at 106
Kanen Storr — Cadet fourth at 106
Taylor LaMont — Cadet champion at 113
Mitch McKee — Cadet third at 113
Evan Wick — Cadet fifth at 113
Montorie Bridges — Cadet seventh at 113
Gabe Townsell — Cadet fourth at 120
Cole Martin — Cadet runner-up at 126
Larry Early — Cadet champ at 138
Isaiah White — Cadet runner-up at 138
Griffin Parriott — Cadet sixth at 138
Nick Reenan — Cadet champ at 152
Joey Gunther — Cadet runner-up at 152
Mark Hall — Cadet champ at 160
Beau Breske — Cadet runner-up at 160
Cash Wilcke — Cadet champ at 182
Zahid Valencia — Junior champ at 120
Ronnie Bresser — Junior runner-up at 120
Josh Alber — Junior third at 126
Seth Gross — Junior runner-up at 132
Ali Naser — Junior third at 132
Aaron Pico — Junior champ at 138
Max Thomsen — Junior third at 138
Anthony Valencia — Junior third at 145
Clayton Ream — Junior champ at 152
Brandon Sorensen — Junior runner-up at 152
Jacob Morrissey — Junior champ at 170
David Kocer — Junior seventh at 170
Bobby Steveson — Junior champ at 182
Preston Weigel — Junior runner-up at 195
Marcus Harrington — Junior fourth at 195
Adam Coon — Junior champ at 285
2012
Jack Mueller — Cadet runner-up at 94
Mitch McKee — Cadet champ at 100
Ke-Shawn Hayes — Cadet champ at 106
Kaid Brock — Cadet runner-up at 106
Cameron Kelly — Cadet fourth at 106
Cole Martin — Cadet sixth at 106
Matthew Kolodzik — Cadet champ at 113
Max Thomsen — Cadet third at 120
Fredy Stroker — Cadet champ at 126
Aaron Pico — Cadet champ at 132
Seth Gross — Cadet fifth at 132
Nick Reenan — Cadet champ at 138
Drew Foster — Cadet fifth at 138
Bo Nickal — Cadet champ at 152
Mark Hall — Cadet runner-up at 152
Bobby Steveson — Cadet runner-up at 160
Cash Wilcke — Cadet champ at 182
Ronnie Bresser — Junior champ at 113
Tommy Thorn — Junior runner-up at 113
Clayton Ream — Junior champ at 145
Brandon Sorensen — Junior runner-up at 145
Alex Meyer — Junior champ at 170
Cooper Moore — Junior runner-up at 170
Marcus Harrington — Junior fifth at 182
Willie Miklus — Junior champ at 220
Adam Coon — Junior champ at 285
Nathan Butler — Junior third at 285
Collin Jensen — Junior eighth at 285
2011
Ronnie Bresser — Cadet champ at 98
Tommy Thorn — Cadet champ at 105
Max Thomsen — Cadet third at 105
Andrew Crone — Cadet fifth at 105
Barlow McGhee — Cadet champ at 112
Josh Alber — Cadet fourth at 112
Seth Gross — Cadet fifth at 112
Bo Nickal — Cadet champ at 130
Bobby Steveson — Cadet third at 160
Jordan Ellingwood — Cadet champ at 189
Freddie Rodriguez — Junior champ at 119
Dylan Peters — Junior sixth at 119
Cole Mendenhall — Junior fourth at 130
Jake Short — Junior champ at 140
Brandon Sorensen — Junior runner-up at 140
Nick Wanzek — Junior champ at 152
Alex Meyer — Junior champ at 160
Willie Miklus — Junior runner-up at 171
Micah Barnes — Junior fourth at 171
Cooper Moore — Junior fifth at 171
Jacob Morrissey — Junior sixth at 171
Trace Englekes — Junior seventh at 171
Blaize Cabell — Junior eighth at 189
Austin Marsden — Junior champ at 215
2010
Zane Richards — Cadet champ at 130
Jake Short — Cadet champ at 135
Brandon Sorensen — Cadet runner-up at 135
Nick Wanzek — Cadet champ at 145
Jack Dechow — Cadet champ at 171
Mitch Sliga — Cadet champ at 189
Michael Kroells — Cadet champ at 215
Adam Coon — Cadet champ at 215
Freddie Rodriguez — Junior champ at 112
Dylan Peters — Junior third place at 112
Joey Delgado — Junior third place at 130
Alex Dieringer — Junior champ at 145
Dylan Ness — Junior runner-up at 145
Travis Wittlake — Intermediate champ at 80
Gable Steveson — Intermediate champ at 120
Chad Red — Novice fifth at 70
Brady Berge — Novice champ at 80
Beau Breske — Novice champ at 112
Mitch McKee — Schoolboy fourth at 77
Drew Hughes — Schoolboy fourth at 77
Jack Mueller — Schoolboy eighth at 77
Cam Sykora — Schoolboy fourth at 84
John Erneste — Schooboy runner-up at 91
Josh Alber — Schoolboy third at 91
Ben Thornton — Schoolboy fourth at 91
Justin Oliver — Schoolboy runner-up at 105
Seth Gross — Schoolboy fourth at 105
Tyler Berger — Schoolboy runner-up at 112
Bo Nickal — Schoolboy fourth at 112
Mark Hall — Schoolboy champ at 128
Chandler Rogers — Schoolboy runner-up at 136
Bobby Steveson — Schoolboy champ at 160
2009
Cory Clark — Cadet champ at 98 — beat Freddie Rodriguez 3—1 in the finals
Freddie Rodriguez — Cadet runner-up at 98
Dylan Peters — Cadet seventh at 98
Kyle Langenderfer — Cadet champ at 112
Brandon Sorensen — Cadet runner-up at 119
Jake Short — Cadet fourth place at 119
Jason Tsirtsis — Cadet champ at 130
Alex Dieringer — Cadet fourth at 130
Zac Brunson — Cadet champ at 140
Nick Wanzek — Cadet eighth at 140
Cooper Moore — Cadet runner-up at 145
Taylor Massa — Cadet champ at 152
Jack Dechow — Cadet seventh at 152
Michael Kroells — Cadet champ at 189
Austin Marsden — Cadet fourth at 189
Blaize Cabell — Cadet seventh at 189
Adam Coon — Cadet runner-up at 215
Hayden Zillmer — Junior champ at 105
Jade Rauser — Junior champ at 112
Jesse Thielke — Junior champ at 119
Dylan Ness — Junior champ at 140
Steven Monk — Junior champ at 145
Logan Storley — Junior champ at 152
Derek St. John — Junior champ at 160
Austin Blythe — Junior third place at heavyweight
Travis Wittlake — Intermediate champ at 70
Gable Steveson — Intermediate champ at 103
Chad Red — Novice champ at 65
Griffin Parriott — Novice champ at 75
Drew Hughes — Novice runner-up at 75
Nick Reenan — Novice champ at 80
Beau Breske — Novice third at 95
Bryce Steiert — Novice fifth at 100
Mark Hall — Novice champ at 105
Cash Wilcke — Novice champ at 120
Tommy Thorn — Schoolboy third at 84
Josh Alber — Schoolboy third at 84
Joey McKenna — Schoolboy champ at 91
Zac Hall — Schoolboy third at 91
Justin Oliver — Schoolboy seventh at 91
Bobby Steveson — Schoolboy runner-up at 144
Jordan Ellingwood — Schoolboy champ at 152
Sam Stoll — Schoolboy third at 190
2008
Travis Wittlake — Bantam champ at 60
Gable Steveson — Bantam champ at 75+
Doyle Trout — Novice runner-up at 65
Nick Reenan — Novice fourth at 70
Drew Hughes — Novice sixth at 70
Matthew Kolodzik — Novice champ at 75
Justin Oliver — Novice seventh at 75
Josh Alber — Novice runner-up at 80
Tyler Berger — Novice third at 80
Drew Foster — Novice fourth at 80
Logan Massa — Novice eighth at 80
Bo Nickal — Novice champ at 85
Seth Gross — Novice third at 85
Bobby Steveson — Novice champ at 130
Jered Cortez — Schoolboy champ at 84
Bryce Brill — Schoolboy champ at 91
Jake Short — Schoolboy third at 98
Kyle Langenderfer — Schoolboy eighth at 98
Brandon Sorensen — Schoolboy runner-up at 105
Nick Wanzek — Schoolboy third at 120
Jack Dechow — Schoolboy third at 128
Adam Coon — Schoolboy fourth at 190
Michael Kroells — Schoolboy fifth at 190
Cory Clark — Cadet champ at 91
Joey Dance — Cadet runner-up at 91
Freddie Rodriguez — Cadet third at 91
Jade Rauser — Cadet runner-up at 98
Brian Realbuto — Cadet fourth at 98
Alex Dieringer — Cadet third at 112
Jesse Thielke — Cadet champ at 119
Clark Glass — Cadet runner-up at 119
Dylan Ness — Cadet champ at 130
Zac Brunson — Cadet third at 130
Taylor Massa — Cadet champ at 140
Kyven Gadson — Cadet champ at 152
Scott Schiller — Cadet champ at 189
Austin Blythe — Cadet champ at 285
Joe Colon — Junior champ at 119
Steven Monk — Junior champ at 140
Josh Ihnen — Junior champ at 189
2007
Dylan Peters — Schoolboy champ at 75
Freddie Rodriguez — Schoolboy champ at 80
Brandon Sorensen — Schoolboy champ at 85
Mark Grey — Schoolboy third at 85
Jake Short — Schoolboy fifth at 85
Alex Dieringer — Schoolboy champ at 90
Drew Templeman — Schoolboy fourth at 100
Anthony Perrotti — Schoolboy fifth at 100
Jason Tsirtsis — Schoolboy fifth at 105
Willie Miklus — Schoolboy champ at 110
Zac Brunson — Schoolboy third at 110
Cooper Moore — Schoolboy fourth at 110
Rylan Lubeck — Schoolboy champ at 115
Ke-shawn Hayes — Novice runner-up at 65
Justin Oliver — Novice fourth at 70
Bryce Meredith — Novice fifth at 70
Josh Alber — Novice sixth at 70
Daniel Lewis — Novice champ at 80
Jordan Ellingwood — Novice champ at 105
Sam Stoll — Novice fourth at 130
Griffin Parriott — Intermediate seventh at 65
Mark Hall — Intermediate champ at 80
Tyler Cox — Junior champ at 112
Steven Monk — Junior third at 130
Travis Rutt — Junior champ at 160
Ben Provisor — Junior eighth at 160
Grant Gambrall — Junior champ at 171
Josh Ihnen — Junior runner-up at 171
Hayden Zillmer — Cadet champ at 84
Rossi Bruno — Cadet champ at 91
Ryan Mango — Cadet champ at 98
Jesse Thielke — Cadet runner-up at 98
Clark Glass — Cadet third at 98
Alan Waters — Cadet third at 105
Dylan Ness — Cadet champ at 112
Jake Sueflohn — Cadet fifth at 112
Kyven Gadson — Cadet fifth at 130
Nick Moore — Cadet champ at 135
Robert Kokesh — Cadet third at 135
2006
Mark Grey — Schoolboy champ at 75
Hayden Zillmer — Schoolboy third at 75
Eddie Klimara — Schoolboy fifth at 75
Clark Glass — Schoolboy second at 80
Cody Brewer — Schoolboy fourth at 80
Alex Dieringer — Schoolboy fifth at 90
Dylan Ness — Schoolboy champ at 95
Jesse Delgado — Schoolboy champ at 100
Willie Miklus — Schoolboy fourth at 105
Nick Moore — Schoolboy runner-up at 120
Morgan McIntosh — Schoolboy champ at 145
Jered Cortez — Novice champ at 70
Jake Short — Novice fourth at 75
Joey Lavallee — Novice third at 80
Nick Wanzek — Novice sixth at 85
Sam Brooks — Novice third at 105
Adam Coon — Novice runner-up at 140
Ke-Shawn Hayes — Intermediate third at 60
Josh Alber — Intermediate eighth at 60
Justin Oliver — Intermediate third at 65
Tyler Berger — Intermediate fourth at 65
Bo Nickal — Intermediate champ at 70
Mark Hall — Intermediate champ at 75
Seth Gross — Intermediate fifth at 80
Bobby Steveson — Intermediate second at 112
Alan Waters — Cadet runner-up at 91
David Thorn — Cadet champ at 105
Chris Dardanes — Cadet seventh at 105
Nick Dardanes — Cadet eighth at 105
Steve Monk — Cadet champ at 112
Derek St. John — Cadet fifth at 135
Dallas Bailey — Cadet champ at 140
Travis Rutt — Cadet champ at 145
Chris Perry — Cadet champ at 160
Grant Gambrall — Cadet third at 160
2005
Rossi Bruno — Schoolboy champ at 70
Cody Brewer — Schoolboy runner-up at 70
Hayden Zillmer — Schoolboy fourth—place at 70
Clark Glass — Schoolboy runner-up at 75
Conor Youtsey — Schoolboy eighth place at 75
Alan Waters — Schoolboy runner-up at 80
Chris Villalonga — Schoolboy champ at 85
Dylan Ness — Schoolboy sixth—place at 85
Jake Short — Novice third place at 65
Mark Grey — Novice champ at 70
Eddie Klimara — Novice seventh place at 70
Joey Ward — Novice eighth place at 75
Anthony Perrotti — Novice fourth place at 80
Zac Brunson — Novice fifth place at 80
Alex Dieringer — Novice third place at 85
Jason Tsirtsis — Novice sixth place at 85
Taylor Massa — Novice champ at 100
Tyler Cox — Cadet champ at 91
Andrew Long — Cadet runner-up at 91
David Thorn — Cadet fifth at 91
Eric Grajales — Cadet champ at 98
Steve Monk — Cadet seventh at 98
Travis Rutt — Cadet champ at 119
Dallas Bailey — Cadet champ at 125
Jake Deitchler — Cadet champ at 130
Grant Gambrall — Cadet fourth at 152
Jordan Blanton — Cadet champ at 160
Josh Ihnen — Cadet runner-up at 160
Eric Thompson — Cadet champ at 189
Dom Bradley — Cadet champ at 215
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