Senior Nationals men’s freestyle preview: Exciting battles expected for coveted Olympic Team Trials bids

This weekend’s Senior Nationals in Fort Worth, Texas, will serve as the biggest Olympic Team Trials qualifier of the season as 30 spots are up for grabs in men’s freestyle.

With six Olympic weights (57 kg, 65 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 97 kg and 125 kg), the top-five athletes in each weight will earn a bid to the U.S. Olympic Trials at Penn State in April.

Men's freestyle action is set for Saturday and Sunday. Catch all the action live on FloWrestling.org. 

Click HERE for the men’s freestyle pre-seeds for this weekend.

57 kg – Spencer Lee returns to freestyle

One of the most anticipated showings this weekend will come from Spencer Lee, a three-time age-group World champion, who will compete in freestyle for the first time since 2016. Over the last few years, Lee has been competing exclusively in folkstyle for the University of Iowa, where he is a two-time NCAA champion going into his junior season. Winning a 2014 Cadet World title and two Junior World golds, Lee has already proved his freestyle prowess. It’ll be interesting to see where Lee stacks up after his freestyle hiatus.

Though his resume speaks for itself, it will be no easy road for Lee as some other notable names are registered as of Wednesday afternoon, including 2018 Final X champion Nahshon Garrett, Cadet and Junior World silver medalist Vitali Arujau, 2019 Pan American champion Josh Rodriguez and several others.

In addition to Lee, Garrett also owns an NCAA title as well as Cory Clark, Darian Cruz and Nathan Tomasello, who are currently registered.

There could be several different possibilities for the top-five finishers at this weight.

57 kg entries, as of 12 p.m. MT Wednesday
Vitali Arujau (Titan Mercury WC)
Cory Clark (Titan Mercury WC)
Darian Cruz (New York AC)
Daniel DeShazer (Gopher WC)
Johnni DiJulius (Titan Mercury WC)
Nahshon Garrett (Titan Mercury WC)
Gabriel Gray   
Shane Kim (KWIK WC)
Sean Kim (KWIK WC)
Edward Klimara (Titan Mercury WC)
Spencer Lee (Titan Mercury WC)
Britain  Longmire          
Shelton Mack  (Titan Mercury WC)
Austin Miller    (New England RTC/Bears WC)
Desmond Moore (M-80 WC)
Jacob Moran    (USOPTC)         
Jose Moreno
Frank Perrelli    (Titan Mercury WC)
Kevin Radcliff
Zane Richards  (Titan Mercury WC)
Joshua Rodriguez (Nittany Lion WC)
Sean Russell (Gopher WC)
Zach Sanders (Gopher WC)
Nathan Tomasello (Titan Mercury WC)
Gabriel Townsell (California RTC)
Alan Waters (Titan Mercury WC)

65 kg – Diakomihalis, Oliver and Molinaro highlight loaded weight class

The Trek to Tokyo for the Olympic spot at 65 kg is guaranteed to be an exciting road from start to finish. Three of the biggest names at the weight include Final X runner-up Yianni Diakomihalis, Bill Farrell champion Jordan Oliver and 2016 Olympian Frank Molinaro, which are the top-three seeds, respectively.

Oliver is already qualified for the Trials, thanks to a gold-medal performance at the Bill Farrell International last month, where he defeated Molinaro in the finals.

Diakomihalis garnered a lot of attention last freestyle season, winning the U.S. Open in April by defeating now-two-time World Team member Zain Retherford in the finals to earn a spot at Final X. There, Diakomihalis, who had just completed his sophomore season at Cornell, lost a controversial best-of-three series to Retherford for the 2019 World Team spot.

Molinaro is a consistent threat, owning a National Team spot every year this quad. He began the new Olympic quad fresh off at fifth-place finish at the 2020 Olympics.

Other notable registrants include No. 4 seed Evan Henderson, 2019 Pan Am Games bronze medalist Jaydin Eierman and 2017 U23 World bronze medalist Joey McKenna.

Henderson has been incredibly active on the international circuit this year, winning four international medals, including a bronze at the Farrell.

65 kg entries, as of 12 p.m. MT Wednesday
Yianni Diakomihalis (Titan Mercury WC)
Jordan Oliver (Sunkist Kids)
Frank Molinaro (Titan Mercury WC)
Evan Henderson (Titan Mercury WC)
Jaydin Eierman (Titan Mercury WC)
Joseph McKenna (Titan Mercury WC)
Bryce Meredith (New York AC)
Ben Whitford (Titan Mercury WC)
Domonick Demas (Titan Mercury WC)
Dean Heil (Titan Mercury WC)
Nick Lee (Nittany Lion WC)
Jayson Ness (Gopher WC)
Colton McCrystal (Sunkist Kids)
Sean Fausz (Titan Mercury WC)
Aldon Isenberg
Darren Wynn
Earl Hall (Titan Mercury WC)
Ethan Lizak (New York AC)
Joey Lazor (Panther WC RTC)
John Burger (The Rock)
Joshua Saunders (Titan Mercury WC)
Mario Mason (New York AC)
Matthew Kolodzik (New York AC)
Nate Hansen (NWAA)
Nicholas Dardanes (Titan Mercury WC)
Rob Mathers (Sunkist Kids)
Robert Rehm (Navy-Marines Corps)
Tristan Snover (Warrior WC)

74 kg – Crown up for grabs

The field at 74 kg sets up for an interesting bracket as there is no clear favorite. Highlighting the field is 2018 Pan American silver medalist Nazar Kulchytskyy, 2018 Junior World champion Mekhi Lewis and 2019 U23 World Team members Alec Pantaleo and Muhamed McBryde.

Pantaleo will likely move down to 65 kg for the Olympic Trials should he qualify.

Also in the mix is Tommy Gantt, who helped the U.S. team to a bronze-medal finish at the 2019 World Cup. He’s also a 2018 Bill Farrell International champion.

Title contenders aren’t limited to those six. There is tons of talent in the bracket capable of swooping in for the crown.

74 kg entries, as of 12 p.m. MT Wednesday
Nazar Kulchytskyy (Titan Mercury WC)
Mekhi Lewis (Titan Mercury WC)
Thomas Gantt (Titan Mercury WC)
Dan Vallimont (New York AC)
Chance Marsteller (Titan Mercury WC)
Alec Pantaleo (Titan Mercury WC)
Muhamed McBryde (Buffalo WC RTC)
Tyler Berger (Sunkist Kids)
Anthony Valencia (Sunkist Kids)
Evan Wick (Titan Mercury WC)
Dylan Ness (Gopher WC RTC)
Branson Ashworth (Wyoming RTC)
Carson Kharchla
Daniel Richardson
Daniel Snediker (Brunson UVRTC)
Deondre Wilson
Edward Holly
Elroy Perkin (Gopher WC RTC)
Jaison White
Jake Keating (Cavalier WC)
Jake Sueflohn (Boilermaker RTC)
Joey Lavallee (Titan Mercury WC)
John Van Schenk Brill (Buffalo Valley RTC)
Josh Shields (Sunkist Kids)
Nick Becker (Titan Mercury WC)
Quinton Godley (Titan Mercury WC)
Trever Devestern (Titan Mercury WC)
Will Connell

86 kg – Three current National Team members featured in deep 86 kg bracket

Favored at 86 kg is four-time National Team member Alex Dieringer, who bumped up from 79 kg, a non-Olympic weight class. Dieringer, a 2019 Final X runner-up, made his debut at 86 kg at the Bill Farrell International, where he eased his way through the bracket to get to the finals. There, he faced a tough test in Myles Martin and pulled out the win for a gold medal at the heaviest weight class he’s competed at in his career.

Other National Team members set to compete this weekend include Zahid Valencia and Nick Heflin. Valencia, a 2018 Final X runner-up and 2019 National Team member at 79 kg, is balancing folkstyle and freestyle as he is in the midst of senior season at Arizona State. Heflin, the only National Team member at 86 kg to register, returns to competition after taking time off after the World Team Trials in May.

Others on display this weekend will be past U23 World Team member Sammy Brooks, Bill Farrell International silver medalist Myles Martin and two-time age-group World medalist Aaron Brooks.

86 kg entries, as of 12 p.m. MT Wednesday
Alex Dieringer (Titan Mercury WC)
Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids)
Samuel Brooks (New York AC)
Nicholas Heflin (Titan Mercury WC)
Myles Martin (Titan Mercury WC)
Aaron Brooks (Nittany Lion WC)
Nathan Jackson (New York AC)
Brett Pfarr (Gopher WC RTC)
Andrew Simmons (Titan Mercury WC)
Beau Yineman
Brennan Giffin
CJ Brucki
Drew Foster (Panther WC RTC)
Dwight Howes (Jefferson Saints WC)
Joshua Asper (Navy-Marine Corps Mat Club)
Kadeem Samuels (New York AC)
Kevin Radford (Sunkist Kids)
Leonardo Tarantino (Boston RTC)
Logan Massa (New York AC)
Matthew Dean
Maxwell Dean (Titan Mercury WC)
Parker Keckeisen (Panther WC RTC
Pete Renda (Titan Mercury WC)
Ramon Fry
Ryan Loder (San Francisco WC)
Skyler Gonzalez
Stacey Davis (Titan Mercury WC)
Syed Ul-Hasan (Titan Mercury WC)
Timothy Dudley (Sunkist Kids)
Willie Miklus (New York AC)

97 kg – Smallest bracket boasts college, national and international stars

Though only 14 athletes are pre-registered at 97 kg, there is still a lot of talent set to compete in Texas, including U23 World medalists Ty Walz, who won bronze in 2017, and Kollin Moore, who claimed silver in 2018.

The favorite on paper going into this weekend is Kyven Gadson, who has been in the top-two of the National Team ladder at 97 kg for the past few years. In addition to Final X runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2019, Gadson also holds U.S. Open titles from 2017 and 2019. Internationally, Gadson has been chipping away at the competition and securing podium finishes, with his most recent coming at the Cerro Pelado International in Cuba earlier this year.

Hayden Zillmer is registered at 97 kg. He is a multiple-time National Team member in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. Most recently, he has competed exclusively in freestyle. Last month, Zillmer produced a bronze at the Bill Farrell International.

2019 NCAA runner-up Derek White is also expected to compete in Texas.

97 kg entries, as of 12 p.m. MT Wednesday
Kyven Gadson (Sunkist Kids)
Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC RTC)
Ty Walz (Titan Mercury WC)
Kollin Moore (Ohio RTC)
Derek White (Titan Mercury WC)
Kevin Beazley (New York AC)
Timmy McCall (Titan Mercury WC)
Scottie Boykin (Titan Mercury WC)
Donald Scott (Golden Pride WC)
Donald McNeil (New England RTC)
Erik Hinckley
Evan Hansen (Viking WC)
Jacob Kasper (Titan Mercury WC)
Joshua Manu (Navy-Marine Corps Mat Club)

125 kg – Multiple World medals litter the heavyweight bracket

The 125 kg brackets will feature four age-group World medalists and a few more past World Team members. World medalists in the bracket are 2009 Junior World champion Dom Bradley, 2017 Cadet World champion Daniel Greg Kerkvliet, 2018 U23 World silver medalist Youssif Hemida and 2018 Junior World silver medalist Zach Elam.

Kerkvliet also owns a 2018 Cadet World silver medal. Earlier this fall, he competed at the U23 World Championships, where he narrowly lost in a controversial call at the end of the bronze-medal match.

Others that have represented the USA at a World Championships include Tony Nelson, Nick Nevills, Tanner Hall and Garrett Ryan. Mike Kosoy won a pair of gold medals in freestyle and Greco-Roman at the 2017 Maccabi Games.

Many are eager to see how college star for Penn State Anthony Cassar will do at his first Senior-level freestyle event this weekend.

125 kg entries, as of 12 p.m. MT Wednesday
Anthony Nelson (Gopher WC RTC)
Dominique Bradley (Sunkist Kids)
Anthony Cassar (Nittany Lion WC)
Daniel Kerkvliet (Titan Mercury WC)
Nick Nevills (Nittany Lion WC)
Michael Kosoy (Sunkist Kids)
Youssif Hemida (New York AC)
Tanner Hall (Sunkist Kids)
Zach Elam (Team Central WC)
AJ Nevills (Titan Mercury WC)
Ceron Francisco (Titan Mercury WC)
Garrett Ryan (Sunkist Kids)
Jacob Evans
Jeremy Benton
Mauro Correnti (New York AC)
Shawn Streck (Titan Mercury WC)