Freestyle WTT Challenge Tournament previews at 59 kg women and 74 kg men
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Competition portrait of Kelsey Campbell by Larry Slater. Competition portrait of Isaiah Martinez by John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com.
For 10 straight days, TheMat.com will post two previews each day for the Freestyle World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, set for Rochester, Minn., May 18-20. One of the previews will be in men’s freestyle, with the other in women’s freestyle.
This is a closed tournament, in which the athletes in the field must have qualified, based upon approved Team Selection Procedures in each style. The winners of each of the 20 weight classes advance to one of the three Final X series events in June.
In weight classes in which there was a 2017 World medalist, the 2018 U.S. Open champion advances directly to the best-of-three Championships Series in Rochester. In the weight classes without a 2017 World medalist, the U.S. Open champion has advanced directly to Final X and nobody sits out to the finals series in Rochester.
Today, we provide previews in women’s freestyle at 59 kg and men’s freestyle at 74 kg.
WOMEN’S FREESTYLE 59 KG
As a weight class with a World medalist, U.S. Open champion Kelsey Campbell advances directly to the best-of-three Championship Series in Rochester. It was her fifth U.S. Open title. Campbell may be the most experienced women’s athlete on the Senior circuit, yet she continues to win big events and remain a serious threat to make U.S. teams.
A 2012 Olympian, Campbell was the winner of the 2016 Olympic Trials, but could not compete in Rio because the weight did not get qualified. She placed fifth in the 2010 Worlds and was on the 2011 World Team. In Vegas, Campbell beat a young star in the semifinals, Brenda Reyna, and a veteran talent in the finals, Lauren Louive. She is consistent, has strong defense, and can beat top opponents when her offense gets untracked. Campbell beat two-time World silver medalist Alli Ragan in the finals of the 2016 Olympic Trials. If Campbell wins in Rochester, she gets another shot at Ragan, who qualified directly for Final X with her 2017 World silver.
Louive, an All-American at the University of the Cumberlands, has been competing on the Senior level for a decade. She is having perhaps her best year, as her runner-up finish at the Open is her highest placement yet. She won the Dave Schultz Memorial in November and placed third at the respected Klippan Lady Open. Training with the Hawkeye WC has helped, but so has her ability to find a way to win tough matches.
Abigail Nette of Emmanuel College has been on fire this spring, winning the U23 World Team Trials and placing third at the U.S. Open. Nette was also third at the WCWA college nationals this winter. She is wrestling with confidence, which has made a difference in her performance.
Reyna wrestled back to fourth in Vegas after losing to Campbell. She was fourth in the 2018 WCWA Nationals for McKendree and has placed in the last two U23 World Team Trials, taking second in 2018 and third in 2017. She was ninth in the 2017 Senior World Team Trials, so her 2018 U.S. Open finish shows that she continues to progress.
Also advancing through the U.S. Open was King University star Allison Petix, who placed fifth in Vegas. Petix lost to Reyna and Nette at the Open. She was seventh at the 2018 WCWA Nationals as a freshman. At the U23 World Team Trials, Petix won three matches to reach the finals, where she lost to Nette, but had one victory over Nette in the three-bout series.
There could be an additional athlete added through the UWW Junior World Team Trials, being held in Irving, Texas this weekend. Reyna and Petix are in this tournament at 59 kg, so if one of them wins, nobody new will advance to Rochester.
The winner of this weight advances to Final X in Lincoln on June 9, to face 2017 World silver medalist Alli Ragan of the Sunkist Kids for the World Team spot. Ragan, a two-time World silver medalist, has made five straight Senior World Teams.
Women’s Freestyle 59 kg
Directly to best-of-three series - 2018 U.S. Open champion – Kelsey Campbell, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
Other Challenge Tournament entries
Nov. 17 Dave Schultz Memorial champion – Lauren Louive, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
2018 U23 National champion – Abigail Nette, St. Rose, La. (Lions Blood WC)
2018 U.S. Open fourth place – Brenda Reyna, Mount Vernon, Wash. (McKendree Bearcat Wrestling Club)
2018 U.S. Open fifth place – Allison Petix, Las Vegas, Nev. (King University)
2018 UWW Junior World Team member –
Note: Winner in Rochester advances to Final X at in Lincoln on June 9, to face World medalist Alli Ragan (Sunkist Kids)
MEN’S FREESTYLE 74 KG
As a weight class with a World medalist, U.S. Open champion Isaiah Martinez advanced directly to the best-of-three Championship Series in Rochester. Martinez had his best Senior-level effort with a dominant performance in Las Vegas, winning five times including four technical falls and a first-round pin. Martinez recently completed a powerful college career at Illinois, where he was a two-time NCAA champion and four-time finalist. He has strong freestyle credentials, including making a U23 World team, winning the University Nationals and placing second in the UWW Junior World Team Trials.
Eligible to compete in Rochester is Penn State’s two-time NCAA champion Vincenzo Joseph, who beat Martinez in the NCAA finals the last two years. Joseph does not have as deep a freestyle resume as Martinez. He was third in the 2016 Junior World Team Trials, where he placed behind PSU teammates Mark Hall and Jason Nolf, and was third in the 2015 Junior World Team Trials, with a loss to another Nittany Lion teammate Zain Retherford. His ability to beat Martinez in big-time matches would be a factor if he makes a run in freestyle this year.
Skipping Vegas was Nazar Kulchytskyy, who won a silver medal at the Pan American Championships the week after the Open. Kulchytskyy qualified for Rochester by winning a gold medal in the Dave Schultz Memorial in November. An experienced and talented freestyler, Kulchytskyy emigrated from Ukraine, won three NCAA Div. III titles for UW-Oshkosh, and became an American citizen. He has numerous international medals and will be force in this field.
Taking the silver medal at the U.S. Open was veteran Dan Vallimont, who also had his best U.S. Open effort. He has been busy this season, winning the Guelph Open in Canada, taking second at the Bill Farrell International and winning a bronze at the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial in Europe. The former Penn State All-American has improved his craft in freestyle as part of the Pennsylvania RTC.
Although not competing at the U.S. Open, former NC State All-American Thomas Gantt had a win over Vallimont earlier this year, when he defeated him in the finals of the Bill Farrell International in March by technical fall to qualify for Rochester. Gantt is just getting into freestyle after college, placing seventh at the 2017 U.S. Open and now going on international tours.
In his first major Senior freestyle placement, former Nebraska star Jake Sueflohn placed third at the Open in Vegas. You have to go back to 2011 when he was third at the Junior Nationals as a high school star from Wisconsin to find him this high in the standings in freestyle. His only loss in Vegas came to Martinez in the semifinals.
Taking fourth at the Open is veteran Quinton Godley, a former NC State wrestler who has been active on the freestyle circuit for many years. Godley has placed four times at the U.S. Open, also placing as high as fourth in 2014.
Placing third at the 2018 NCAAs behind Martinez and Joseph was freshman Evan Wick of Wisconsin, who finished fifth at the U.S. Open and qualified for Rochester. Wick has extensive freestyle background coming through the USA Wrestling age-group system and competing as a California youth for the nearby Titan Mercury WC.
The other wrestlers making the Rochester field were sixth-place Carson Brolsma, who competes for the University of Minnesota, and seventh-place Taleb Rahmani, a 2017 ACC champion at Pitt. Neither have extensive freestyle achievements in the past.
This will be a very interesting weight class, since Martinez was so dominant in Las Vegas, but there were tough athletes who skipped the U.S. Open that should be in the field in Rochester.
The winner of this weight advances to Final X in Lincoln on June 9, to face 2017 World champion Jordan Burroughs of the Sunkist Kids for the World Team spot. Burroughs, a 2012 Olympic champion and four-time World champion, has made every U.S. World or Olympic team for seven straight years, going back to 2011.
Men’s Freestyle 74 kg
Directly to best-of-three series - 2018 U.S. Open champion – Isaiah Martinez, Leemore, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Other Challenge Tournament entries
Nov. 17 Dave Schultz Memorial champion – Nazar Kulchytskyy, Madison, Wis. (Titan Mercury WC)
2018 NCAA champion – Vincenzo Joseph, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Penn State)
2018 Bill Farrell Memorial champion – Thomas Gantt, Raleigh, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC)
2018 U.S. Open runner-up – Dan Vallimont, Philadelphia, Pa. (New York AC/Penn RTC)
2018 U.S. Open third place – Jake Sueflohn, Watertown, Wis. (Boilermaker RTC)
2018 U.S. Open fourth place – Quinton Godley, Raleigh, N.C. (Wolfpack WC)
2018 U.S. Open fifth place – Evan Wick, San Gabriel, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC/ Univ. of Wisconsin)
2018 U.S. Open sixth place – Carson Brolsma, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2018 U.S. Open seventh place - Taleb Rahmani, Marysville, Ohio (Pittsburgh WC)
Note: Winner in Rochester advances to Final X in Lincoln on June 9, to face World medalist Jordan Burroughs (Sunkist Kids)
For 10 straight days, TheMat.com will post two previews each day for the Freestyle World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, set for Rochester, Minn., May 18-20. One of the previews will be in men’s freestyle, with the other in women’s freestyle.
This is a closed tournament, in which the athletes in the field must have qualified, based upon approved Team Selection Procedures in each style. The winners of each of the 20 weight classes advance to one of the three Final X series events in June.
In weight classes in which there was a 2017 World medalist, the 2018 U.S. Open champion advances directly to the best-of-three Championships Series in Rochester. In the weight classes without a 2017 World medalist, the U.S. Open champion has advanced directly to Final X and nobody sits out to the finals series in Rochester.
Today, we provide previews in women’s freestyle at 59 kg and men’s freestyle at 74 kg.
WOMEN’S FREESTYLE 59 KG
As a weight class with a World medalist, U.S. Open champion Kelsey Campbell advances directly to the best-of-three Championship Series in Rochester. It was her fifth U.S. Open title. Campbell may be the most experienced women’s athlete on the Senior circuit, yet she continues to win big events and remain a serious threat to make U.S. teams.
A 2012 Olympian, Campbell was the winner of the 2016 Olympic Trials, but could not compete in Rio because the weight did not get qualified. She placed fifth in the 2010 Worlds and was on the 2011 World Team. In Vegas, Campbell beat a young star in the semifinals, Brenda Reyna, and a veteran talent in the finals, Lauren Louive. She is consistent, has strong defense, and can beat top opponents when her offense gets untracked. Campbell beat two-time World silver medalist Alli Ragan in the finals of the 2016 Olympic Trials. If Campbell wins in Rochester, she gets another shot at Ragan, who qualified directly for Final X with her 2017 World silver.
Louive, an All-American at the University of the Cumberlands, has been competing on the Senior level for a decade. She is having perhaps her best year, as her runner-up finish at the Open is her highest placement yet. She won the Dave Schultz Memorial in November and placed third at the respected Klippan Lady Open. Training with the Hawkeye WC has helped, but so has her ability to find a way to win tough matches.
Abigail Nette of Emmanuel College has been on fire this spring, winning the U23 World Team Trials and placing third at the U.S. Open. Nette was also third at the WCWA college nationals this winter. She is wrestling with confidence, which has made a difference in her performance.
Reyna wrestled back to fourth in Vegas after losing to Campbell. She was fourth in the 2018 WCWA Nationals for McKendree and has placed in the last two U23 World Team Trials, taking second in 2018 and third in 2017. She was ninth in the 2017 Senior World Team Trials, so her 2018 U.S. Open finish shows that she continues to progress.
Also advancing through the U.S. Open was King University star Allison Petix, who placed fifth in Vegas. Petix lost to Reyna and Nette at the Open. She was seventh at the 2018 WCWA Nationals as a freshman. At the U23 World Team Trials, Petix won three matches to reach the finals, where she lost to Nette, but had one victory over Nette in the three-bout series.
There could be an additional athlete added through the UWW Junior World Team Trials, being held in Irving, Texas this weekend. Reyna and Petix are in this tournament at 59 kg, so if one of them wins, nobody new will advance to Rochester.
The winner of this weight advances to Final X in Lincoln on June 9, to face 2017 World silver medalist Alli Ragan of the Sunkist Kids for the World Team spot. Ragan, a two-time World silver medalist, has made five straight Senior World Teams.
Women’s Freestyle 59 kg
Directly to best-of-three series - 2018 U.S. Open champion – Kelsey Campbell, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
Other Challenge Tournament entries
Nov. 17 Dave Schultz Memorial champion – Lauren Louive, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
2018 U23 National champion – Abigail Nette, St. Rose, La. (Lions Blood WC)
2018 U.S. Open fourth place – Brenda Reyna, Mount Vernon, Wash. (McKendree Bearcat Wrestling Club)
2018 U.S. Open fifth place – Allison Petix, Las Vegas, Nev. (King University)
2018 UWW Junior World Team member –
Note: Winner in Rochester advances to Final X at in Lincoln on June 9, to face World medalist Alli Ragan (Sunkist Kids)
MEN’S FREESTYLE 74 KG
As a weight class with a World medalist, U.S. Open champion Isaiah Martinez advanced directly to the best-of-three Championship Series in Rochester. Martinez had his best Senior-level effort with a dominant performance in Las Vegas, winning five times including four technical falls and a first-round pin. Martinez recently completed a powerful college career at Illinois, where he was a two-time NCAA champion and four-time finalist. He has strong freestyle credentials, including making a U23 World team, winning the University Nationals and placing second in the UWW Junior World Team Trials.
Eligible to compete in Rochester is Penn State’s two-time NCAA champion Vincenzo Joseph, who beat Martinez in the NCAA finals the last two years. Joseph does not have as deep a freestyle resume as Martinez. He was third in the 2016 Junior World Team Trials, where he placed behind PSU teammates Mark Hall and Jason Nolf, and was third in the 2015 Junior World Team Trials, with a loss to another Nittany Lion teammate Zain Retherford. His ability to beat Martinez in big-time matches would be a factor if he makes a run in freestyle this year.
Skipping Vegas was Nazar Kulchytskyy, who won a silver medal at the Pan American Championships the week after the Open. Kulchytskyy qualified for Rochester by winning a gold medal in the Dave Schultz Memorial in November. An experienced and talented freestyler, Kulchytskyy emigrated from Ukraine, won three NCAA Div. III titles for UW-Oshkosh, and became an American citizen. He has numerous international medals and will be force in this field.
Taking the silver medal at the U.S. Open was veteran Dan Vallimont, who also had his best U.S. Open effort. He has been busy this season, winning the Guelph Open in Canada, taking second at the Bill Farrell International and winning a bronze at the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial in Europe. The former Penn State All-American has improved his craft in freestyle as part of the Pennsylvania RTC.
Although not competing at the U.S. Open, former NC State All-American Thomas Gantt had a win over Vallimont earlier this year, when he defeated him in the finals of the Bill Farrell International in March by technical fall to qualify for Rochester. Gantt is just getting into freestyle after college, placing seventh at the 2017 U.S. Open and now going on international tours.
In his first major Senior freestyle placement, former Nebraska star Jake Sueflohn placed third at the Open in Vegas. You have to go back to 2011 when he was third at the Junior Nationals as a high school star from Wisconsin to find him this high in the standings in freestyle. His only loss in Vegas came to Martinez in the semifinals.
Taking fourth at the Open is veteran Quinton Godley, a former NC State wrestler who has been active on the freestyle circuit for many years. Godley has placed four times at the U.S. Open, also placing as high as fourth in 2014.
Placing third at the 2018 NCAAs behind Martinez and Joseph was freshman Evan Wick of Wisconsin, who finished fifth at the U.S. Open and qualified for Rochester. Wick has extensive freestyle background coming through the USA Wrestling age-group system and competing as a California youth for the nearby Titan Mercury WC.
The other wrestlers making the Rochester field were sixth-place Carson Brolsma, who competes for the University of Minnesota, and seventh-place Taleb Rahmani, a 2017 ACC champion at Pitt. Neither have extensive freestyle achievements in the past.
This will be a very interesting weight class, since Martinez was so dominant in Las Vegas, but there were tough athletes who skipped the U.S. Open that should be in the field in Rochester.
The winner of this weight advances to Final X in Lincoln on June 9, to face 2017 World champion Jordan Burroughs of the Sunkist Kids for the World Team spot. Burroughs, a 2012 Olympic champion and four-time World champion, has made every U.S. World or Olympic team for seven straight years, going back to 2011.
Men’s Freestyle 74 kg
Directly to best-of-three series - 2018 U.S. Open champion – Isaiah Martinez, Leemore, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Other Challenge Tournament entries
Nov. 17 Dave Schultz Memorial champion – Nazar Kulchytskyy, Madison, Wis. (Titan Mercury WC)
2018 NCAA champion – Vincenzo Joseph, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Penn State)
2018 Bill Farrell Memorial champion – Thomas Gantt, Raleigh, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC)
2018 U.S. Open runner-up – Dan Vallimont, Philadelphia, Pa. (New York AC/Penn RTC)
2018 U.S. Open third place – Jake Sueflohn, Watertown, Wis. (Boilermaker RTC)
2018 U.S. Open fourth place – Quinton Godley, Raleigh, N.C. (Wolfpack WC)
2018 U.S. Open fifth place – Evan Wick, San Gabriel, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC/ Univ. of Wisconsin)
2018 U.S. Open sixth place – Carson Brolsma, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2018 U.S. Open seventh place - Taleb Rahmani, Marysville, Ohio (Pittsburgh WC)
Note: Winner in Rochester advances to Final X in Lincoln on June 9, to face World medalist Jordan Burroughs (Sunkist Kids)
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