Olympic champions Maroulis, Snyder headline U.S. wrestling team at 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile

The U.S. wrestling team for the upcoming Pan American Games will feature 17 world-class competitors across the three Olympic disciplines, highlighted by Olympic champions Helen Maroulis and Kyle Snyder. The illustrious event, which takes place once every four years preceding the Olympic Games, is set for Oct. 20-Nov. 5, with the wrestling competition taking place Nov. 1-4 at the Centro de Entrenamiento Olímpico in Santiago, Chile.

Both Maroulis and Snyder are fresh of bronze-medal efforts at the 2023 World Championships held last month in Belgrade, Serbia. The duo is well among the list of most credentialed wrestlers in U.S. history, with stunningly similar career achievements. Each owns a pair of Olympic medals on top of seven medal-winning performances at the Senior World Championships, including three World titles apiece.

At the 2016 Olympic Games, Maroulis became the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. Snyder also won a gold at the Rio Games, at the time becoming the youngest American wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal. Maroulis came back to win a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games, becoming the first U.S. woman to collect two Olympic medals. Snyder added a second Olympic medal to his trophy case in Tokyo, finishing with the silver.

Snyder, who will compete at 97 kg in men’s freestyle, is a two-time Pan American Games champion, topping the podium in 2015 and 2019. Maroulis holds the 57 kg spot in women’s freestyle. She competed at the Pan American Games in 2011 where she brought home gold.

The Pan American Games is the largest multi-sport event held in the Americas. More than 6,800 athletes from 41 countries will compete across 46 sports during the 17-day extravaganza. Team USA is sending 631 athletes to Chile, with Maroulis and Snyder being two-of-13 Olympic champions representing the U.S. across all sports.

93 Olympians are expected to make the trek for the U.S., including four wrestlers. In addition to Maroulis and Snyder, 2020 Olympians Kayla Miracle and Ildar Hafizov are among the U.S. delegation. Miracle is a two-time Senior World medalist and past Pan American Games champion in women’s freestyle. Hafizov has competed in two Olympic Games in the Greco-Roman style, once for the U.S. (2020) and once for Uzbekistan (2008). He finished with a bronze medal at the 2019 Pan American Games.

Senior World bronze medalists Forrest Molinari and Mason Parris will take the mats in Santiago, bringing the total number of World medalists representing the U.S. up to five. An additional six members of the 2023 U.S. World Team will compete—Zane Richards and Nick Lee on the men’s freestyle side, plus Kamal Bey, Zac Braunagel, Josef Rau and Cohlton Schultz in Greco-Roman.

Age-group World medalists Kennedy Blades, Audrey Jimenez and Mark Hall, alongside U.S. National Team members Tyler Berger and Samara Chavez round out the 17-person U.S. roster.

The Panam Sports Channel will broadcast over 1,900 of coverage from the Pan American Games at panamsportchannel.org, including complete coverage of all four days of wrestling. USA Wrestling will provide complete coverage of the event through TheMat.com and its social media channels using #Santiago2023.

This edition of the Pan American Games is a notable moment for the nation of Chile, as it will be hosting the event for the first time. More information about the Pan American Games can be found at santiago2023.org.

2023 Pan American Games

At Santiago, Chile, Nov. 1-4

Event schedule

Wednesday, Nov. 1

10 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage (MFS 57-74-97-125 kg)

5 p.m. – Finals and awards (MFS 57-74-97-125 kg)

Thursday, Nov. 2

10 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage (MFS 65-86 kg and WFS 50-57-68 kg)

5 p.m. – Finals and awards (MFS 65-86 kg and WFS 50-57-68 kg)

Friday, Nov. 3

10 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage (WFS 53-62-76 kg and GR 60-77 kg)

5 p.m. – Finals and awards (WFS 53-62-76 kg and GR 60-77 kg)

Saturday, Nov. 4

10 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage (GR 67-87-97-130 kg)

5 p.m. – Finals and awards (GR 67-87-97-130 kg)

U.S. delegation

Men’s freestyle roster

57 kg – Zane Richards (Champaign, Illinois/Titan Mercury WC/Illinois RTC)

65 kg – Nick Lee (State College, Pennsylvania/Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)

74 kg – Tyler Berger (Lincoln, Nebraska/Sunkist Kids WC/Pennsylvania RTC)

86 kg – Mark Hall (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC)

97 kg – Kyle Snyder (State College, Pennsylvania/Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)

125 kg – Mason Parris (Lawrenceburg, Indiana/Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC)

Coach – Bill Zadick (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Coach – Joe Russell (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Coach – Jake Varner (Port Matilda, Pennsylvania)

Team Leader – Rich Tavoso (New York City, New York)

Women’s freestyle roster

50 kg – Audrey Jimenez (Tucson, Arizona/Sunkist Kids WC)

53 kg – Samara Chavez (Arlington, Texas/Team Tornado WC)

57 kg – Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Maryland/Sunkist Kids WC)

62 kg – Kayla Miracle (Tempe, Arizona/Sunkist Kids WC)

68 kg – Forrest Molinari (Tempe, Arizona/Sunkist Kids WC)

76 kg – Kennedy Blades (Chicago, Illinois/Sunkist Kids WC)

Coach – Terry Steiner (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Coach – Katie Kreibel (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Coach – Nate Engel (Albany, Oregon)

Team Leader – Cody Bickley (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Greco-Roman roster

60 kg – Ildar Hafizov (Colorado Springs, Colorado/U.S. Army WCAP)

77 kg – Kamal Bey (Colorado Springs, Colorado/U.S. Army WCAP)

87 kg – Zac Braunagel (O’Fallon, Illinois/Illini WC/Illinois RTC)

97 kg – Josef Rau (Chicago, Illinois/Titan Mercury WC/Wildcat WC)

130 kg – Cohlton Schultz (Parker, Colorado/Sunkist Kids WC)

Coach – Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Coach – Herb House (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Coach – Spenser Mango (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Team Leader – Josh Weintraub (New York City, New York)

Support staff

Medical (ATC) – Chad Smidt (Fort Collins, Colorado)

Medical (MD) – Dr. David Haight (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Medical (Massage) – Amy Murry (Olympia, Washington)

Secretary General – Rich Bender (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Media – Richard Immel (Colorado Springs, Colorado)