Twenty athletes set to compete at the U15 Pan American Championships in Panama City, Panama, November 24-25

The United States will send a talented group of young athletes to Panama City, Panama, to compete at the U15 Pan American Championships on November 24-25. The women’s freestyle and men’s freestyle/Greco-Roman teams were decided at the U15 Pan American Team Trials held at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in August.

The action begins on Friday, November 24, with qualification rounds, repechage and final matches for men’s freestyle and the first group of women’s freestyle (33 kg, 39 kg, 46 kg, 54 kg and 62 kg). On Saturday, the action continues with Greco-Roman and the second group of women’s freestyle(36 kg, 42 kg, 50 kg, 58 kg and 66 kg).

Representing Team USA for the girls on the first day of action is Maisie Elliott (33 kg), Gail Sullivan (39 kg), Epenesa Elison (46 kg), Kaylyn Harrill (54 kg) and Taina Fernandez (62 kg). Elliott was the only athlete to register for the event at 33 kg, earning the spot. She competed in the 36 kg weight class at the U15 Pan American Team Trials and placed first. Sullivan won two bouts at 39 kg before sweeping her opponent to claim the spot on the team. Elison did not allow a single point in the tournament that earned her the spot at 46 kg. Harrill and Fernandez both swept their best-of-three finals for spots on the team.

The second group of athletes for women’s freestyle are Timmery Condit (36 kg), Hailey Delgado (42 kg), Kayla Batres (50 kg), Amaya Hinojosa (58 kg) and Violette Lasure (66 kg). Condit placed second at 36 kg, but earned the spot as Elliott will wrestle at 33 kg. Delgado edged out her opponent for the 42 kg spot, and Batres used two technical falls for the first place finish at the Pan American Team Trials. At 58 kg, Hinojosa claimed the spot with a sweep in the finals. Rounding out group two is Lasure who grinded out the series victory after falling short in the first match, but storming back and earning the team spot.

All 10 spots for boys were decided following a verification process by USA Wrestling’s National Teams Department. The boys will compete in both freestyle and Greco-Roman for the USA at the U15 Pan American Championships. Men’s freestyle action will take place on Friday, November 24. Greco-Roman action will get underway on Saturday, November 25.

Double champions in both Greco-Roman and men’s freestyle from the U15 Pan American Team Trials who qualified for the U.S. team included Rocco Cassioppi (48 kg), Christopher Grossman (52 kg), Travis Cardenas (62 kg), Cooper Rowe (68 kg), Isai Fernandez (75 kg) and Evan Perez (85 kg). Austin Collins scored the most points at 57 kg and earned the team spot at that weight class.

Three weight classes ended with a tie in points, and the U15 Pan American team member was determined using the following criteria.

If there is a tie in point value, the following criteria will be used in ranked order:

1. Double All-Americans from the trials event, that won in either style.

2. Double All-Americans from the trials event with the most pins in the least amount of time.

3. Double All-Americans from the trials event with the most tech-falls in the least amount of time.

4. Double All-Americans from the trials event with the most total points scored.

5. If there are no double All-Americans, the spot will be awarded to the champion from either Greco-Roman or Freestyle that has earned the most pins in the least amount of time.

Earning their spots based upon the tie breaker were Chase Karenbauer (38 kg), Keegan Bassett (41 kg) and Eli Herring (44 kg).

2023 U15 Pan American Championships

Panama City, Panama

U15 Pan American Team – Women’s freestyle

33 kg – Maisie Elliott (Mat Demon WC/Puyallup, Wash.)

36 kg – Timmery Condit (Pomona Elite (PWCC)/Littleton, Colo.)

39 kg – Gail Sullivan (Apex Wrestling NYC LLC/Monroe, N.Y.)

42 kg – Hailey Delgado (NXT Level Wrestling Academy/El Paso, Texas)

46 kg – Epenesa Elison (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage/Downey, Calif.)

50 kg – Kayla Batres (South Side WC/Milford, Conn.)

54 kg – Kaylyn Harrill (The Best Wrestler/Elkhorn, Neb.)

58 kg – Amaya Hinojosa (Goldman`s Wrestling Academy of the Rockies/Colorado Springs, Colo.)

62 kg – Taina Fernandez (Cavalier WC/Bowie, Md.)

66 kg – Violette Lasure (Orchard WC/New Paris, Penn.)

U15 Pan American Team (Greco-Roman and men’s freestyle)

38 kg – Chase Karenbauer (Bad Karma WC/Mercer, Pa.)

41 kg – Keegan Bassett (Young Guns WC/Windber, Pa.)

44 kg – Eli Herring (Pennsylvania/Saint Michael, Pa.)

48 kg – Rocco Cassioppi (Hononegah WC/Roscoe, Ill.)

52 kg – Christopher Grossman (Billings WC/Billings, Mont.)

57 kg – Austin Collins (Bear Cave WC/Wray, Colo.)

62 kg – Travis Cardenas (Grindhouse WC/Mesa, Ariz.)

68 kg – Cooper Rowe (Pinnacle WC/Mound, Minn.)

75 kg – Isai Fernandez (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage/Sylmar, Calif.)

85 kg – Evan Perez (Bear Cave WC/Severance, Colo.)

Schedule

*Panama City, Panama is in the Eastern Standard time zone

Friday, November 24

2:00 p.m. (EST) – Qualification Rounds, Repechage and Finals (Freestyle all weights), Qualification rounds, Repechage and Finals (Women’s freestyle weights 29-33, 39, 46, 54, 62 kg)

Saturday, November 25

2:00 p.m. (EST) – Qualification rounds, Repechage and Finals (Women’s freestyle weights 36, 42, 50, 58, 66 kg), Qualification Rounds, Repechage and Finals (Greco-Roman all weights)