Elite Accelerator Program (EAP) athletes to compete in open tournaments this weekend

The Elite Accelerator Program (EAP) was designed to develop young athletes with Olympic potential at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center (USOPTC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This has included wrestlers who are still in high school, or are high school graduates who choose to train in the international styles prior to going to college.

Among the athletes who have trained at the USOPTC while either in high school or prior to college include Olympic champions Henry Cejudo and Kyle Snyder, NCAA champion and U23 World champion Aaron Brooks, U.S. Open champion Tiare Ikei and many others.

This weekend, a host of EAP athletes will compete at open tournaments, kicking off their  competition schedule for the new season.

There are five men’s EAP athletes competing at the Colorado Mines Rookie Open in Golden, Colorado, on Sunday, November 5. Competition is slated to begin at 10 a.m. MT. at the Steinhauer Field House and will be in folkstyle wrestling. There are 17 programs currently registered to compete. Stay tuned for information on how to follow the action.

Kael Lauridsen, a 2022 U17 Pan American Championships gold medalist in freestyle and silver medalist in Greco-Roman, is set to compete at 125 pounds in the tournament. At 141 pounds, Roman Salazar is registered to compete in Golden. Anwar Alli will compete at 157 pounds, Gunner Cramblett at 174 pounds and 2023 U20 World bronze medalist and U20 Pan American Championships gold medalist Camden McDanel is slated to compete at 197 pounds.

Three women’s EAP athletes travel west to Grand Junction, Colorado, this weekend to compete at the Maverick Open at Brownson Arena on the campus of Colorado Mesa University. Thirteen programs are registered for the event. It is held in freestyle wrestling, the international style which is the style for women’s college wrestling.

At 123 pounds, U17 World team member Karlee Brooks is among the group of three slated to compete. Skylar Hattendorf, a 2019 Cadet World silver medalist and 2022 U20 Pan American Championships gold medalist, is registered at 143 pounds. Rounding out the trio at 155 pounds is Mishell Rebisch, a 2022 U17 Pan-American Championships gold medalist.

TheMat.com will have coverage of the EAP athletes this weekend and during the season.

COLORADO MINES ROOKIE OPEN

At Golden, Colo., Nov. 5

EAP roster

125 – Kael Lauridsen, Bennington, Neb.

141 – Roman Salazar, San Tan Valley, Ariz.

157 – Anwar Alli, Ashley, Ohio

174 – Gunner Cramblett, Saint, Ohio

197 – Camden McDanel, Circleville, Ohio

MAVERICK OPEN

At Grand Junction, Colo., Nov. 4

EAP roster

123 – Karlee Brooks, Phoenix, Ariz.

143 – Skylar Hattendorf, Bow, N.H.

155 – Mishell Rebisch, Brighton, Mich.