Folkstyle Nationals alumni list loaded with past and present college stars

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:

Drew Mattin — Junior third at 126 

Will Lewan — Junior champion at 145

Mitch McKee — Junior champ at 132

Max Thomsen — Junior champ at 145

Cash Wilcke — Junior third at 195

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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