2024 U23 Men’s Freestyle World Team Bios
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by Savannah Asmann, USA Wrestling
Max Gallagher at the 2024 U23 Nationals in Geneva, Ohio.
57 kg – Max Gallagher (Blue Point, N.Y./Pennsylvania RTC)
2024: U23 Freestyle Nationals champion…
2022: Fifth at US Marine Corps Junior Freestyle Nationals…Third at Phil Portuese Northeast Regional…NYSPHSAA State Championships champion…
2020: NYSPHSAA State Championships runner-up…
2019: Third at NYSPHSAA State Championships…
2017: New York State Southern Super Regional champion at 85 pounds…Suffolk County Youth Championships champion at 80 pounds…
College: Sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania…
High School: Four-year varsity letterman and captain under coach Dave Cruz at Bayport-Blue Point…2022 New York State Champion 156-12 career high school record…Fifth at 2022 Super 32…2022 Iron Man All-American….Named top NY wrestler of the class of 2023…Finished high school career ranked #3 in the nation at 126 pounds…
Personal: Son of Michelle and Joseph Gallagher…Born July 14, 2005…Age 19…
61 kg – Nic Bouzakis (Dallas, Pennsylvania/Ohio RTC)
2024: U23 Freestyle Nationals champion…
2023: U20 World bronze medalist…U20 Pan-American Championships gold medalist… U20 Freestyle World Team Trials champion… U20 Freestyle Nationals champion…
2022: Seventh in U20 World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria… U20 Pan-American Championships gold medalist… U20 Freestyle World Team Trials champion… U20 Freestyle Nationals champion…
2021: Eighth in Junior World Championships in Ufa, Russia… Third in USMC Junior Freestyle Nationals… UWW Junior Greco-Roman Nationals champion…
2019: USMC 16U Freestyle Nationals champion… Phil Portuese Northeast Regional champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman…
2018: USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals champion…
College: Redshirt Sophomore at Ohio State University…
High School: Two-time National Prep champion (2020, 2022) for Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania)… three-time FHSAA state champion (2017-19) for Lake Highland Prep (Florida) and Citrus Park Christian (Florida) School…
Personal: Son of Troy and Toni Bouzakis… Born on May 21, 2003… 21 years old…
65 kg – Joshua Saunders (Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury Wrestling Club)
2024: U23 Nationals champion…
2023: Fifth at U23 Freestyle Nationals…
2022: Sixth at U23 Freestyle Nationals…USAW Last Chance Qualifier champion…
2021: Third at U23 Nationals…Seventh at UWW Junior and Senior Nationals…
2019: Eighth at Senior Nationals…USMC/USAW Junior Nationals champion in Freestyle…Fourth in Greco-Roman…Third at U23 Freestyle Nationals…Fourth at U23 Greco-Roman Nationals…Fourth at Marine Corps US Open Junior Freestyle…
2018: Eighth at Junior World Championships…Tenth at Cadet World Championships…UWW Cadet Freestyle Nationals champion…Third at Junior Freestyle WTT Challenge…Third at Marine Corps US Open Junior Freestyle…
2017: Runner-up at USMC/USAW Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals…USMC/USAW Cadet Freestyle Nationals champion…Fourth at UWW Cadet and University Nationals…
2016: Sixth at USAW Cadet Freestyle Nationals…Runner-up at USAW/CK Jr/Cadet Folkstyle Nationals…
College: Senior at Cornell University…
High School: Helped Christian Brothers to two state team titles in 2018 and 2019…Named to the Missouri All-Decade Team and Wrestler of the Decade in 2020…Three-time state champion…NSHCA Champion (2017)…Two-time Fargo Champion (2017, 2019)…Walsh Ironman Champion (2019)…
Personal: Son of Nadia and Nolan Saunders…Born on September 28, 2001…23 years old…
70 kg – John Wiley (Mustang, Okla./Oklahoma RTC)
2024: U23 Nationals runner-up…
2023: Fifth at US Open U20 Freestyle Nationals…
2019: USMC/USAW 16U Nationals champion in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman…
2018: Runner-up at USMC/USAW Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals…Southern Plains Regional champion in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle…
College: Sophomore at the University of Oklahoma…
Personal: Son of Belinda and Daniel Wiley…Born on October 22, 2003…20 years old…
74 kg – Mitchell Mesenbrink (Hartland, Wisconsin/Nittany Lion WC/Askren Wrestling Academy)
2024: U.S. Olympic Team Trials Challenge Tournament runner-up…NCAA Division I Championships runner-up at 165 pounds…
2023: U20 World Champion…U20 Pan-American Championships gold medalist… Dan Kolov – Nikola Petrov Tournament bronze medalist… U20 Freestyle World Team Trials champion… U20 Freestyle Nationals champion…
2022: U20 World Championships silver medalist in Sofia, Bulgaria… U20 Pan-American Championships gold medalist… Fifth in Bill Farrell Memorial International… U20 Freestyle World Team Trials champion… U20 Freestyle Nationals champion…
2021: Southern Plains Regional champion in freestyle… Central Regional champion in freestyle… USA Wrestling National High School Recruiting Showcase champion…
2019: USA Wrestling Preseason Nationals champion… Central Regional champion in freestyle… Phil Portuese Northeast Regional champion in freestyle… Western Regional champion in freestyle… USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals champion…
2018: Third in USA Wrestling Preseason Nationals… Third in Central Regional in freestyle… Fifth in USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals…
College: Will be a sophomore at Penn State University…Attended California Baptist University during redshirt year…
High School: Three-time WIAA state champion (2020-22) for Arrowhead (Wisconsin) High School… Fourth in 2019…
Personal: Son of Bernadette and John Mesenbrink… Born on June 2, 2003…21 years old…
79 kg – Patrick Kennedy (West Concord, Minn./Hawkeye WC)
2024: U23 Freestyle Nationals champion…
2023: City of Sassari Tournament gold medalist…
2022: U23 Freestyle Nationals champion…
2021: Third at U23 Nationals…
2020: Runner-up at U23 and UWW Junior Nationals…
2019: USMC/USAW Junior Nationals champion…
2018: Eighth at UWW Cadet and U23 Nationals…
2017: Third at USMC/USAW Cadet Freestyle Nationals…Third at UWW Cadet and University Nationals…Northern Plains Regional Freestyle champion…
College: Senior at the University of Iowa…two-time NCAA Qualifier for the Hawkeyes…
High School: Four-time Minnesota high school state champion for Kasson-Mantorville…
Personal: Son of Tammy and Matt Kennedy…Born on May 4, 2001…23 years old…
86 kg – John Gunderson (Baraboo, Wis./Panther Wrestling Club RTC)
2024: U23 Pan American Championships silver medalist…U23 Nationals champion…Third at Last Chance OTT Qualifier…
2023: Eighth at US Open Senior Freestyle…
2021: Sixth at US Marine Corps 16U & Junior Nationals in Freestyle…Seventh in Greco-Roman…Northern Plains Regional Champion in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman…WWF Greco-Roman and Freestyle State Championships champion…Seventh at UWW Junior Freestyle Nationals…
2020: USAW Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals runner-up…
2019: WWF Greco-Roman State Championships runner-up…Third at WWF Freestyle State Championships…
2018: WWF Greco-Roman and Freestyle State Championships champion…
2017: Fifth at WWF Kids Folkstyle State Championships…
College: Senior at Northern Iowa…
High School: Four-time freestyle Wisconsin state champion for Baraboo High School…Four-time Greco-Roman Wisconsin state champion…Folkstyle Wisconsin state champion…
Personal: Son of Vonny and Dan Gunderson…Born on June 12, 2002…22 years old…
92 kg – Jacob Cardenas (Kearny, N.J./Cliff Keen WC/Spartan Combat RTC)
2024: U23 Freestyle Nationals champion…Fourth at NCAA Division I National Championships at 197 pounds…
2023: U23 World bronze medalist…U23 Freestyle Nationals champion…Seventh at US Open…Eighth at NCAA D1 National Championships…
2022: U23 World silver medalist…U23 World Team Trials champion…Third at Last Chance Qualifier…
2019: Sixth at Marine Corps US Open in Junior Freestyle…
2018: Beast of the East runner-up…Fifth at UWW Cadet Nationals…
College: 2024 graduate of Cornell…Two-time NCAA All-American at 197 pounds…Three-time NCAA Qualifier…Graduate student at Michigan…
High School: New Jersey State Champion in 2018…Super 32 Champion in 2018…FloNationals Champion in 2019…New Jersey State Champion in 2019…First Team All-State in 2018 and 2019…
Personal: Son of Jesenia Reis and Roig Cardenas…Born on September 13, 2001…23 years old…
97 kg – Massoma Endene (Waverly, Iowa)
2024: Champion at U23 Pan-American Championships gold medalist…U23 Nationals & U20 WTT champion…
2022: Runner-up at NJCAA Championships…
Personal: Born on August 27, 2002…
125 kg – Lucas Stoddard (Chardon, Ohio/West Point WC)
2024: U23 Pan American Championships gold medalist…U23 Nationals champion…
2022: OHSAA State Tournament Division 1 champion…OHSAA State Tournament Division 3 (190 lbs) champion…
2021: OHSAA D3 State Tournament champion…
High School: State champion for Berkshire HS (USMAPS)…
College: Sophomore at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point…NCAA Qualifier in 2024…
Personal: Born on November 16, 2003…20 years old…
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Cardenas, Stoddard advance to men’s freestyle semifinals at U23 World Championships
Mortimer, Makoyed earn U23 World titles, Jones scores bronze in women’s freestyle
Mortimer, Makoyed get semifinal pins, Jones to go for bronze at U23 World Championships
Jacobson, Miley fall in Greco-Roman quarters, four in repechage hunt at U23 World Championships
