Welker tags in at 76 kg for U.S. women at Pan American Games

2021 U20 World champion and three-time age-group World medalist Kylie Welker (Franksville, Wisconsin/Titan Mercury WC/Iowa Women’s WC) is the latest addition to the U.S. wrestling lineup for the upcoming Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

Welker takes the mantle at 76 kg for the U.S. women’s freestyle team. She heads to Santiago in place of three-time age-group World medalist Kennedy Blades, who earned a silver medal at the U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania, last week.

The acclaimed Iowa Hawkeye was a member of the Senior U.S. World Team two year ago and has consistently been among the top contenders in a stacked group of heavyweight competitors in the U.S. this Olympic quadrennial. Welker was a Junior Pan American Games bronze medalist in 2021 and, most recently, captured gold at the U20 Pan American Championships held in Santiago, Chile, last July.

Welker is one of four late adjustments made to the original U.S. roster for the Pan American Games. U.S. National Team members Xochitl Mota-Pettis, Erin Golston and Nahshon Garrett were officially named to the team late last week.

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.

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)

Updated U.S. delegation

Men’s freestyle roster

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

65 kg – Nahshon Garrett (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania/Titan Mercury WC/Lehigh Valley 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 – Erin Golston (Lake In The Hills, Illinois/New York AC)

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

57 kg – Xochitl Mota-Pettis (Humble, Texas/Rise RTC)

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

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

76 kg – Kylie Welker (Franksville, Wisconsin/Titan Mercury WC/Iowa Women’s 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)