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Cornella, Bouzakis, Mantanona among champions at U23 Nationals in men’s freestyle

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by Savannah Asmann, USA Wrestling

Vince Cornella wins the 65 kg title at the 2025 U23 Nationals in men's freestyle in Geneva, Ohio.

GENEVA, Ohio – The U23 Nationals in men’s freestyle concluded on Sunday afternoon at Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio, as 10 champions were named following an exciting best-of-three series at all weights.


At 65 kg, Vince Cornella of Spartan Combat RTC defeated Evan Mougalian of Pennsylvania RTC in two matches in the best-of-three championship series. Cornella, a 2022 U20 Pan American Champion and 2022 U20 World Team member, picked up a 16-5 technical fall in round one before pinning Mougalian less than a minute into round two.


Cornella was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the U23 National tournament, going 7-0 and only allowing round one of the finals to go into the second period.


Past age-group World Team members Nic Bouzakis of Ohio RTC (61 kg) and Beau Mantanona of Cliff Keen Wrestling Club (79 kg) won national titles on Sunday afternoon. Bouzakis swept Jett Strickenberger of Black Fox Wrestling Academy with two high-scoring technical falls.


Mantanona’s series went to three matches, as he won rounds one and three over Nicco Ruiz of Atreus Wrestling Club. Mantanona picked up another two technical falls in the finals series, his fifth and sixth of the tournament. Ruiz forced a third match with an 8-2 decision in round two, but Mantanona’s first-period tech in round three sealed the victory.


2021 U17 World Team member Gavin Nelson of Minnesota RTC battled through a tough championship series at 92 kg that went the distance, fighting back to win the title. Nelson dropped round one, 7-4, to Luke Geog of Ohio RTC. Nelson responded with victories in round two and three to take the series.


Rocco Welsh of Nittany Lion Wrestling Club took home the 86 kg national title, defeating 2022 U20 World Team member Jaxon Smith of DMV RTC. Welsh entered the finals with a 5-0 record that included three technical falls and a pair of decisions. In round one, Welsh won 4-2, then secured the series with a 6-3 win in round two.


At 97 kg, Garavous Kouekabakilaho of Viking Wrestling Club was dominant throughout the entire tournament, ending his series with two shutout 10-0 technical falls. Kouekabakilaho secured five technical falls between Saturday and Sunday.


Hawkeye Wrestling Club’s Michael Caliendo won his championship series at 74 kg in three matches. Caliendo defeated 2024 U23 Pan American Champion Daniel Cardenas, storming back after a round one loss to win the next two, and the title.


Mason Ziegler of Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC (57 kg), Josh Edmond of Tiger Style Wrestling Club (70 kg) and Daniel Herrera of Cyclone RTC (125 kg) ended the tournament with best-of-three series wins. Ziegler defeated Daniel Guanajuato of Jackrabbit Wrestling Club in two matches, 6-4 and 5-3. Edmond won his series over Drew Roberts of Minnesota RTC in two matches, and Herrara bested Crew Howard of Nebraska Golden Eagles Wrestling Club with a 6-3 decision and a 10-0 technical fall.


 Scores from the best-of-three championship series and the challenge tournament placement matches can be found below. Complete brackets and match-by-match results are available on USA Bracketing.

Watch every match from the 2025 U23 Nationals and U20 World Team Trials live or on-demand at FloWrestling.com.


2025 U23 Nationals
May 31-June 1, SPIRE Academy, Geneva, Ohio 
Quick Links 
U23 Men’s Freestyle Results 

57 kg

Mason Ziegler (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC) defeated Daniel Guanajuato (Jackrabbit WC), two matches to none.

Round one – Ziegler dec. Guanajuato, 6-4

Round two – Ziegler dec. Guanajuato, 5-3


3rd - Brendan McCrone (Ohio RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) T.F. Charlie Farmer (West Point Wrestling Club), 10-0 (1:09)

5th - Koda Holeman (Central Coast Regional Training Center) Dec. Carson Wagner (Bearcat Wrestling Club), 8-6

7th - Alan Koehler (Nebraska Wrestling Training Center) F. Drew Davis (Southern Illinois Regional Training Center), 1:36

61 kg

Nic Bouzakis (Ohio RTC/ Titan Mercury WC) defeated Jett Strickenberger (Black Fox Wrestling Academy), two matches to none.


Round one – Bouzakis tech. fall Strickenberger, 16-5

Round two – Bouzakis tech. fall Strickenberger, 15-4


3rd - Anthony Noto (Mat-Town RTC) T.F. Sam Smith (Cowboy RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)), 10-0 (5:35)

5th - Evan Tallmadge (Pittsburgh Wrestling Club) Med. For. Logan Frazier (Indiana RTC),

7th - Drew Heethuis (New Jersey RTC) F. Troy Hohman (Wolfpack Wrestling Club), 1:16

65 kg

Vince Cornella (Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury WC) defeated Evan Mougalian (Pennsylvania RTC), two matches to none.


Round one – Cornella tech. fall Mougalian, 16-5

Round two – Cornella pin Mougalian, 0:49


3rd - Haiden Drury (Brunson UVRTC) Dec. Nash Singleton (Beaver Dam Wrestling Regional Training Center), 8-6

5th - Connor Thorpe (Panther Wrestling Club RTC) T.F. Tahir Parkins (SKWC), 16-5 (2:43)

7th - Noah Tolentino (Beaver Dam Wrestling Regional Training Center) Dec. Jarvis Little (Boone RTC), 5-4

70 kg

Josh Edmond (Tiger Style WC) defeated Drew Roberts (Minnesota - RTC), two matches to none.


Round one – Edmond dec. Roberts, 8-4

Round two – Edmond dec. Roberts, 8-6


3rd - CJ Hamblin (Beaver Dam Wrestling Regional Training Center) T.F. EJ Parco (California), 11-0 (5:39)

5th - Sam Ewing (WNY RTC) Med. For. Kael Voinovich (Hawkeye Wrestling Club),

7th - Cade Wirnsberger (Buffalo Valley Regional Training Center) Dec. Connor Pierce (NLWC/TMWC), 4-2

74 kg

Michael Caliendo (Hawkeye WC) defeated Daniel Cardenas (CA RTC), two matches to one.


Round one – Cardenas dec. Caliendo, 15-8

Round two – Caliendo dec. Cardenas, 7-2

Round three – Caliendo dec. Cardenas, 14-6


3rd - Brandon Cannon (Ohio Regional Training Center) T.F. Tyler Lillard (Indiana RTC), 16-6 (4:29)

5th - Ethan Birden (Ohio Regional Training Center) T.F. Stoney Buell (Boilermaker RTC), 16-5 (4:57)

7th - Max Brignola (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC) Med. For. Matthew Bianchi (Arkansas Regional Training Center)

79 kg

Beau Mantanona (Cliff Keen WC) defeated Nicco Ruiz (Atreus WC), two matches to one.


Round one – Mantanona tech. fall Ruiz, 13-2

Round two – Ruiz dec. Mantanona, 8-2

Round three – Mantanona tech. fall Ruiz, 11-0


3rd - Myles Takats (Buffalo Valley Regional Training Center) Dec. Ethan Riddle (Minnesota - RTC), 10-6

5th - Moses Espinoza-Owens (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club) Dec. Hudson Rogers (Brunson UVRTC), 7-3

7th - Logan Messer (Patriot Elite Wrestling Club) For. Ryan Ford (SKWC),

86 kg

Rocco Welsh (Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) defeated Jaxon Smith (DMV RTC), two matches to none.

Round one – Welsh dec. Smith, 4-2

Round two – Welsh dec. Smith, 6-3


3rd - Dylan Fishback (Ohio RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) Dec. Simon Ruiz (Spartan Combat RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)), 9-9

5th - Jersey Robb (Cowboy RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) Med. For. Rylan Rogers (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC),

7th - James Conway (Diplomat Wrestling Club) Dec. Brayden Thompson (Cowboy RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)), 5-5

92 kg

Gavin Nelson (Minnesota - RTC) defeated Luke Geog (Ohio RTC/ Titan Mercury WC), two matches to one.


Round one – Geog dec. Nelson, 7-4

Round two – Nelson tech. fall Geog, 14-3

Round three – Nelson dec. Geog, 4-2


3rd - Hayden Walters (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club) T.F. Kael Wisler (Michigan Wrestling Club), 11-0 (5:06)

5th - Jesse Perez (Life U Club Lucha Wrestling) Med. For. Jack Wehmeyer (New York City RTC),

7th - Wolfgang Frable (West Point Wrestling Club) T.F. Conor Maslanek (Buies Creek Wrestling Club), 11-0 (1:57)

97 kg

Garavous Kouekabakilaho (Viking WC) defeated Thomas Dineen (Jackrabbit WC), two matches to none.


Round one – Kouekabakilaho tech. fall Dineen, 10-0

Round two – Kouekabakilaho tech. fall Dineen, 10-0


3rd - Massoma Endene (Burg Training Center) T.F. Mason Christian (Hilltopper Wrestling Club), 10-0 (0:59)

5th - Dan Rella, Jr. (Dragon Wrestling Club) Med. For. Christian Carroll (Wyoming Wrestling Reg Training Ctr),

7th - Steven Burrell Jr (Cavalier Wrestling Club) T.F. Max Ramberg (Viking RTC), 10-0 (2:26)

125 kg

Daniel Herrera (Cyclone Regional Training Center C-RTC) defeated Crew Howard (Nebraska Golden Eagles WC), two matches to none.


Round one – Herrera dec. Howard, 6-3

Round two – Herrera tech. fall Howard, 10-0


3rd - Lucas Stoddard (West Point Wrestling Club) T.F. Connor Barket (Indiana), 12-0 (1:58)

5th - Jarrett Stoner (Tiger Style Wrestling Club) Med. For. Ryan Catka (Cavalier Wrestling Club),

7th - Aden Attao (Beaver Dam Wrestling Regional Training Center) T.F. Brentan Simmerman (Golden Pride Wrestling Club), 10-0 (1:23)

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