Dake outlasts Starocci, eight men’s freestyle champions decided at Senior World Team Trials in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Eight men’s freestyle champions moved closer to securing a Senior World Team berth following the finals at the 2025 Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday.

Nittany Lion Wrestling Club sends three more athletes to Final X following the finals round. At 86 kg, two-time Olympic bronze medalist Kyle Dake defeated teammate Carter Starocci 3-3 on criteria.

While leading 3-1 through most of the second period, Starocci forced a step out and Dake received a caution, retaining a narrow lead. Starocci’s late shot appeared to grant him two points, but a challenge from Dake’s corner proved time had expired, and Dake held on to win on criteria.

Levi Haines and Josh Barr join Dake at Final X after winning their brackets in Louisville. Haines, continuing to emerge on the freestyle scene, defeated U.S Open runner-up Dean Hamiti at 79 kg, 10-2. After a 2-2 first period, Haines opened up the scoring, adding eight points on four takedowns in period two.

Barr saw a familiar freestyle opponent in Aeoden Sinclair in the finals. In this match at 92 kg, Barr four-point move in the second gave him the edge over Sinclair. The U20 World silver medalist will compete at Final X next month, hoping to transition his success to the Senior level.

PJ Duke, competing for Titan Mercury Wrestling Club and committed to Penn State, found his way to the last Final X spot at 70 kg. The rising star picked up wins over NCAA champions Antrell Taylor and Ridge Lovett on day one, defeating 2021 Junior World bronze medalist Bryce Andonian in the championship final on Saturday, 4-1.

A pair of Gopher Wrestling Club athletes will head to Final X in Hayden Zillmer and Trent Hillger. Zillmer, a 2022 Senior World Team member at 125 kg, dropped to 97 kg just prior to the start of the tournament. Zillmer bested U.S. Open runner-up and U23 World bronze medalist Jonathan Aiello, 5-3, in the finals at 97 kg.

Hillger battled back from a tough placement at the U.S. Open in late April, defeating U.S. Open runner-up Demetrius Thomas in the finals, 10-4. Two first-period takedowns gave Hillger an early lead, before he piled on the points in the second with three more takedowns.

Two-time age-group World medalist David Carr set up a rematch of the U.S. Open finals after powering into Final X at 74 kg. Carr edged out past Senior National Team member Jarrett Jacques, 2-0, with an early step out and a passivity point after Jacques was put on the clock.

At 65 kg, Real Woods battled Brock Hardy in a high-flying final. Woods struck first with a takedown, followed by a crucial four-point throw on the edge to bump to a 6-0 lead through one. Woods’ continued to pile on the points in the second period, while Hardy put a step out point on the scoreboard. After adding four with a takedown and exposure, Woods held off Hardy’s late offensive surge to punch his ticket to Final X.

Full results of the finals and third place matches are listed below.

Fans can replay the action on FloWrestling. Watch the event on-demand at FloWrestling.com.

Online results for the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament are available on USA Bracketing, USA Wrestling’s new best-in-class event management software.

May 16-17, Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center, Louisville, Ky.  

• Event website
• Live stream
• Brackets and results
• Athlete interviews
• Event photos

65 kg

1st - Real Woods (Cliff Keen WC/Titan Mercury WC) Dec. Brock Hardy (Nebraska RTC/Titan Mercury WC), 10-6

3rd - Marcus Blaze (Titan Mercury WC) Dec. Carter Young (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC), 4-0

70 kg

1st - PJ Duke (Titan Mercury WC) Dec. Bryce Andonian (SERTC/Titan Mercury WC), 4-1

3rd - Ian Parker (Cavalier Wrestling Club) Dec. Ridge Lovett (Nebraska RTC/Titan Mercury WC), 5-4

74 kg

1st - David Carr (Cyclone RTC/Titan Mercury WC) Dec. Jarrett Jacques (Tiger Style Wrestling Club), 2-0

3rd - Joseph Blaze (Boilermaker RTC) Dec. Quincy Monday (NJRTC/Titan Mercury WC), 7-2

79 kg

1st - Levi Haines (TMWC/NLWC) Dec. Dean Hamiti Jr (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC), 10-2

3rd - Simon Ruiz (Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury WC) T.F. Ethan Riddle (Minnesota - RTC), 11-1 (2:38)

86 kg

1st - Kyle Dake (Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) Dec. Carter Starocci (NLWC/TMWC), 3-3

3rd - Parker Keckeisen (Panther Wrestling Club RTC) Dec. Marcus Coleman (Cyclone RTC/Titan Mercury WC), 6-2

92 kg

1st - Joshua Barr (NLWC/TMWC) Dec. Aeoden Sinclair (Tiger Style Wrestling Club), 7-3

3rd - Michael Macchiavello (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC/Titan Mercury WC) Dec. Dustin Plott (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC), 4-1

97 kg

1st - Hayden Zillmer (Gopher Wrestling Club) Dec. Jonathan Aiello (Penn RTC/Titan Mercury WC), 5-3

3rd - Ethan Laird (DMV RTC) Dec. Gavin Hoffman (Pennsylvania), 5-0

125 kg

1st - Trent Hillger (Gopher Wrestling Club) Dec. Demetrius Thomas (New York Athletic Club), 10-4

3rd - Christian Lance (Nebraska RTC/Titan Mercury WC) Med. For. Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC/NYAC),