Three lineup changes made to U23 Freestyle World Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Three changes have been made to the U23 Freestyle World Team roster after athletes pulled out of the competition, which is set for Nov. 12-18 in Bucharest, Romania.

U23 World Team Trials champions Vitali Arujau (61 kg), Mitchell McKee (65 kg) and Michael Macchiavello (92 kg) will not participate in November, making way for Sean Fausz (61 kg), Colton McCrystal (65 kg) and Christian Brunner (92 kg) to jump into the Team USA lineup.

Replacing 2016 Cadet World silver medalist Arujau, Fausz, originally from Alexandria, Ky., is a three-time NCAA qualifier and 2018 ACC Champion for North Carolina State.

Fausz was a 2013 Cadet World Team member and finished ninth at the Cadet World Championships in Zrenjanin, Serbia. Most recently, Fausz took fourth at the U23 Trials back in June, which was his first freestyle event since 2013.

McCrystal, who is taking over for 2017 Junior World silver medalist McKee, recently graduated from the University of Nebraska, where he was a two-time NCAA qualifier.

Later this month, McCrystal will serve as a training partner for five-time World and Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

2018 NCAA champion Macchiavello was deemed too old to compete at the U23 World Championships by United World Wrestling as he will turn 24 in December.

Filling his spot on the team is Brunner, a junior and two-time NCAA qualifier for Purdue. Hailing from East Dundee, Ill., Brunner finished fourth at the U23 World Team Trials and also competed at the UWW Junior Freestyle National Championships in April.

The U23 World Championships will take place Nov. 12-18 in Bucharest, Romania, and will be streamed live on Trackwrestling.com.

U23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

at Bucharest, Romania, Nov. 12-18

Men’s freestyle roster
57 kg: Jack Mueller (Dallas, Texas/Cavalier WC)
61 kg: Sean Fausz (Alexandria, Ky./Wolfpack WC)
65 kg: Colton McCrystal (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa/Nebraska WTC)
70 kg: Hayden Hidlay (Lewistown, Pa./Wolfpack WC)
74 kg: Alex Smythe (Eden, N.Y./Bulls WC)
79 kg: David McFadden (West Milford, N.J./SERTC-VT)
86 kg: Myles Martin (Penns Grove, N.J./Ohio RTC)
92 kg: Christian Brunner (East Dundee, Ill./Boilermaker RTC)
97 kg: Kollin Moore (Burbank, Ohio/Ohio RTC)
125 kg: Youssif Hemida (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Terrapin WC)