Gwiazdowski to square off against Cassioppi at HWC Showdown
by Andy Hamilton, Trackwrestling
Tony Cassioppi will get an opportunity to test his hand against the American heavyweight gold standard.
The Iowa sophomore will take on two-time World medalist Nick Gwiazdowski at the Hawkeye Wrestling Club Showdown Open.
Gwiazdowski is the fourth World medalist to be announced for the Nov. 1 event, which will be streamed live on Trackwrestling.
The 27-year-old New York native, a two-time NCAA champion from North Carolina State, has been a mainstay on the American men’s freestyle squad throughout the current Olympic cycle, capturing bronze medals at the 2017 and 2018 World Championships and qualifying the United States for the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year by winning the Pan Am Olympic Games Qualifier.
Cassioppi is coming off a 20-3 freshman season with the Hawkeyes that included a Midlands title and a third-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. His three losses came at the hands of Junior World champions Mason Parris and Gable Steveson, the latter of whom lost to Gwiazdowski last summer at Final X with a World Team berth riding on the outcome.
HAWKEYE WRESTLING CLUB SHOWDOWN OPEN
Jaydin Eierman vs. Vladimer Khinchegashvili
Michael Kemerer vs. Tommy Gantt
Sarah Hildebrandt vs. Erin Golston
Alex Marinelli vs. James Green
Tony Cassioppi vs. Nick Gwiazdowski
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