U.S. sends powerful team to Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial Ranking Event in Budapest, July 17-20

BUDAPEST, Hungary – The United States is sending a large and talented delegation, including 20 members of the 2025 U.S. Senior World Team, to the Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial Ranking Series Event in Budapest, July 17-20.

Results from United World Ranking events determine the seeds for the Senior World Championships as well as determine the winners of major UWW awards each season. Many of the world’s best wrestlers from all across the world will attend this event. This is a major tune-up event for athletes who will be competing in the 2025 Senior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, September 13-21.

The tournament begins with men’s freestyle, which will be contested Wednesday July 17 and Thursday, July 18. The 2025 U.S. Senior World Team members competing in Budapest include David Carr (74 kg), Levi Haines (79 kg), Zahid Valencia (86 kg) and Trent Hidlay (92 kg). Valencia was a 2023 Senior World bronze medalist, while Carr, Haines and Hidlay will be competing in their first Senior World Championships this year. Carr was a 2019 U20 World champion and Hidlay has won two age-group World medals.

2022 Senior World Team member Seth Gross (61 kg), a member of the 2025-26 Senior National Team will compete. Other current Senior National Team members on the tour are Luke Lilledahl (57 kg), Jay Aiello (97 kg), Trent Hillger (125 kg) and Demetrius Thomas (125 kg). Also wrestling in men’s freestyle is Brandon Cannon (70 kg).

On Thursday, July 17, there will be seven men’s freestyle weight classes contested (57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg). The men’s freestyle event wraps up on Friday, July 18 with three weight classes (74 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg).

Women’s freestyle is next up on Friday, July 18 and Saturday, July 19. The U.S. team is loaded with eight members of the 2025 U.S. Senior World Team, led by 2016 Olympic champion, three-time Olympic medalist and three-time World champion Helen Maroulis (57 kg). 2024 Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades (68 kg) will also compete. Two-time Senior World medalist Macey Kilty (65 kg) is also wrestling in Budapest.

The four other 2025 U.S. Senior World Team members who are competing in Budapest will be wrestling in their first Senior World Championships: Audrey Jimenez (50 kg), Felicity Taylor (53 kg), Cristelle Rodriguez (55 kg), Adaugo Nwachukwu (62 kg) and Alex Glaude (72 kg). All of them had successful on the age-group World levels. Rodriguez was a 2024 U20 World champion and won a U17 World silver medal. Jimenez has won four age-group World medals. Nwachukwu was a 2024 CISM Military World champion, and a 2022 U20 World bronze medalist. Glaude was a 2018 U23 World bronze medalist. Taylor competed on two U23 World teams.

Rounding out the U.S. women’s lineup are current Senior National Team members Erin Golston (50 kg), Amanda Martinez (57 kg), Aine Drury (65 kg) and Brooklyn Hays (68 kg).

The event wraps up on Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20 with Greco-Roman. The U.S. Greco-Roman team in Budapest includes eight members of its 2025 Senior World Team: Jayden Raney (55 kg), Max Black (60 kg), Ellis Coleman (63 kg), Alston Nutter (67 kg), Kamal Bey (77 kg), Beka Melalashvili (82 kg), Payton Jacobson (87 kg) and Cohlton Schultz (130 kg).

Coleman was a 2012 Olympian, while Bey and Jacobson were 2024 Olympians. Bey and Coleman have been on multiple Senior World Teams, while Jacobson will be competing in his first Senior Worlds. Schultz has competed on three Senior World Teams. This group has a ton of age-group World success. Raney, Bey and Schultz have won age-group World titles, while Coleman, Nutter and Melalashvili boast age-group World medals.

Rounding out the U.S. Greco-Roman roster are current Senior National Team members Otto Black (67 kg), Aliaksandr Kikiniou (72 kg) and Aden Attao (130 kg). Two-time Senior World Team member Brady Koontz (55 kg) will compete. Also on the Greco-Roman team are Dylan Koontz (60 kg) and Denzel Freeman (130 kg).

Each day, the schedule includes qualification rounds at 10:30 a.m., semifinals at 1:30 p.m., repechage at 2:30 p.m. and finals at 5:00 p.m., all local time. Budapest is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.

The event will be broadcast live by FloWrestling, with results on UWW Arena.

POLYAK IMRE & VARGA JANOS MEMORIAL RANKING SERIES EVENT

At Budapest, Hungary, July 17-20

U.S. Men’s Freestyle roster

57 kg: Luke Lilledahl, St. Charles, Mo. (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC)

61 kg: Seth Gross, Bismarck, N.D. (MATPAC WC)

70 kg: Brandon Cannon, Centennial, Colo. (Ohio RTC)

74 kg: David Carr, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone RTC/TMWC)

79 kg: Levi Haines, Arendtville, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC)

86 kg: Zahid Valencia, Stillwater, Okla. (Cowboy RTC/TMWC)

92 kg: Trent Hidlay, Raleigh, N.C. (Wolfpack WC/TMWC)

97 kg: Jay Aiello, Philadelphia, Pa.  (Pennsylvania RTC/TMWC)

125 kg: Demetrius Thomas, Providence, R.I. (New York AC)

125kg: Trent Hillger, Minneapolis, Minn. (Gopher WC/TMWC)

National Freestyle Coach: Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Manager of Freestyle Programs: Joe Russell 

Personal Coach: Brent Metcalf, Ames, Iowa

Personal Coach: Casey Cunningham, State College, Pa.

Personal Coach: Cody Sanderson, State College, Pa.

Personal Coach: Zo El Ouarraqe, Stillwater, Okla.

Personal Coach: Nick Gwiazdowski, Ithaca, N.Y.

Personal Coach: Troy Steiner, Minneapolis, Minn.  

Personal Coach: Kollin Moore, Columbus, Ohio

Personal Coach: Maolu Woiwor, Minneapolis, Minn.  

U.S. Women’s Freestyle roster

50 kg: Audrey Jimenez, Tempe, Ariz. (Lehigh Valley WC/TMWC)

50 kg: Erin Golston, Denton, Texas (New York AC) 

53 kg: Felicity Taylor, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC)

55 kg: Cristelle Rodriguez, Clovis, Calif. (Tiger WC/TMWC)

57 kg: Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Titan Mercury WC)

57 kg: Amanda Martinez,  Riverside, Ill. (Cardinal WC/TMWC)

59 kg: Abigail Nette, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)

62 kg: Adaugo Nwachukwu, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)

65 kg: Macey Kilty, Iowa City, Iowa (Iowa Women’s WC/TMWC)

65 kg: Aine Drury, Westminster, Calif. (New York AC

68 kg: Kennedy Blades, Chicago, Ill. (Hawkeye WC/TMWC)

68 kg: Brooklyn Hays, Colorado Springs, Colo. (USOPC/TMWC)  

72 kg: Alex Glaude, Corvallis, Ore. (Cal. RTC/TMWC)

76kg: Dymond Guilford, Colorado Springs, Colo. (USOPC/TMWC)

National Freestyle Coach: Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Assistant National Coach: Sarah Hildebrandt, Colorado Springs, Colo.  

Personal Coach: Kerry McCoy, Coopersburg, Pa.  

Personal Coach: Dana Vote, Denton, Neb.

Personal Coach: Bruce Robinson, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Personal Coach: Izzy Martinez, Sugar Grove, Ill.  

Personal Coach: Nate Engel, Corvallis, Ore.  

U.S. Greco-Roman roster

55 kg: Jayden Raney, Sturgis, Ky. (New York AC)

55kg: Brady Koontz, Dubuque, Iowa (Dubuque RTC/TMWC)

60kg: Dylan Koontz, Dubuque, Iowa (Dubuque RTC/TMWC)

60 kg: Max Black, Marquette, Mich. (New York AC/NMU-NTS)  

63 kg: Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)

67 kg: Alston Nutter, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)

67 kg: Otto Black, Parker, Colo. (New York AC/Colorado Top Team)  

72 kg: Aliaksandr Kikiniou, Poway, Calif. (New York

77 kg: Kamal Bey, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAPKici

82 kg: Beka Melelashvili, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)

87 kg: Payton Jacobson, Marquette, Mich. (New York AC/NMU-NTS)

130 kg: Cohlton Schultz, Tempe, Ariz. (Atreus WC)

130kg: Aden Attao, Boise, Idaho  (New York AC)

130kg: Courtney Denzel Freeman, Richland, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps)

National Greco-Roman Coach: Herb House, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Personal Coach: Parker Betts, Marquette, Mich.  

Personal Coach: Ike Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Personal Coach: Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Personal Coach: Zo El Ouarraqe, Stillwater, Okla.

Personal Coach: Bryan Koontz, Plover, Wis.

Medical ATC: Rich Schlotfeldt, Andover, Minn.  

Medical ATC: Shelby Hoppis, Easton, Pa.

Medical Doctor: Dr. Jeremy Frank, Parkland, Fla.

Medical: Peter Haberl, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Nutrition - Nuwanee Tamaki, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Official - Robyn Van Houten, Sheridan, Mich.  

Team Leader - Cody Bickley, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Delegate - Nate Carr. Sr., Ames, Iowa

Delegate - Nick Lee, State College, Pa.

USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Event Schedule

Thursday, July 17

(Men’s Freestyle 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg)

10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds

1:30 p.m. – Semifinals

2:30 p.m. – Repechage

5:00 p.m. – Finals

Friday, July 18

(Men’s Freestyle 74 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg; Women’s Freestyle 50 kg, 53 kg, 57 kg, 59 kg, 72 kg)

10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds

1:30 p.m. – Semifinals

2:30 p.m. – Repechage

5:00 p.m. – Finals

Saturday, July 19

(Women’s Freestyle 55 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg, Greco-Roman 72 kg, 87 kg, 130 kg)

10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds

1:30 p.m. – Semifinals

2:30 p.m. – Repechage

5:00 p.m. – Finals

Sunday, July 20

(Greco-Roman 55 kg, 60 kg, 63 kg, 67 kg, 77 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg)

10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds

1:30 p.m. – Semifinals

2:30 p.m. – Repechage

5:00 p.m. – Finals