Position Wrestling’s Koelzer, Back notch quarterfinal upsets in Senior Greco-Roman World Team Trials
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Brett Back attempts a throw against Alejandro Sancho in the 72 kg quarterfinals of the 2026 Greco-Roman World Team Trials.
LAS VEGAS – The first batch of Senior Greco-Roman semifinals is set at the 2026 U.S. Open Championships. Position Wrestling’s Jace Koelzer and Brett Back are the talk of the tournament thus far.
The duo, who train under Olympian Sam Hazewinkel in the new Oklahoma-based club, were the only individuals to bring down No. 1 seeds in Greco-Roman Group A (55 kg, 60 kg, 63 kg, 67 kg, 72 kg, 77 kg) on Thursday morning at The Expo at World Market Center.
Koelzer struck early with a nifty arm throw to take a 6-0 lead over 2025 World Team member Max Black in the first minute of their 60 kg quarterfinal. Black reeled off five points in the second frame, but Koelzer held on for an 8-5 upset.
The path doesn’t let up for Koelzer, who was a 2025 Haparanda Cup champion. He will face 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion and two-time World Team member Dalton Roberts in the semifinals. The opposite-side semifinal at 60 kg features Zane Richards, a 2023 World Team member in men’s freestyle, against upstart Paxton Creese.
Up at 72 kg, Back took a 1-0 lead to the break against 2020 Olympian and three-time World Team member Alejandro Sancho, with a passivity point being the only score of the first period. Sancho got his chance on top early in the second but couldn’t convert a turn. A missed desperation headlock and failed challenge from Sancho’s side gave Back the 4-1 win.
Back’s road to the finals will go through Peyton Robb, a 2021 U23 World Team member in men’s freestyle and three-time NCAA All-American at Nebraska. Two-time World Team member Benji Peak and returning finalist Aliaksandr Kikiniou Jr. will meet on the other side of the bracket.
No. 1 seeds and tournament favorites advancing to the semifinals include three-time World Team member Max Nowry at 55 kg, 2023 World Team member Xavier Johnson at 63 kg, two-time age-group World medalist Otto Black at 67 kg and 2009 World bronze medalist and Olympian Aliaksandr Kikiniou Sr. at 77 kg.
The Senior Greco-Roman Group A semifinals are set for 4 p.m. local time on Thursday, with the best-of-three championship series taking place on Friday.
All the action from the U.S. Open Championships is available to watch live or on-demand on FloWrestling. Brackets and match-by-match results can be found on USA Bracketing.
Max Nowry (New York AC) vs. Fabian Gutierrez (Buies Creek WC)
Billy Sullivan (Army WCAP) vs. Brady Koontz (Titan Mercury WC)
Jace Koelzer (Position Wrestling) vs. Dalton Roberts (Army WCAP)
Paxton Creese (Minnesota Storm/New York AC) vs. Zane Richards (Illinois RTC/Titan Mercury WC)
Xavier Johnson (Army WCAP) vs. Pierson Manville (Southwest WC)
Landon Drury (NMU-National Training Center) vs. Carter Nogle (Air Force RTC)
Otto Black (New York AC) vs. Savion Haywood (Iguana Athletics WC)
Duncan Nelson (Air Force WCAP) vs. Peyton Omania (Orange County RTC)
Brett Back (Position Wrestling) vs. Peyton Robb (Nebraska/New York AC)
Benjamin Peak (New York AC) vs. Aliaksandr Kikiniou Jr. (New York AC)
Aliaksandr Kikiniou Sr. (New York AC) vs. Tyler Eischens (Tar Heel WC/New York AC)
Joel Adams (Beaver Dam Wrestling RTC) vs. Britton Holmes (Army WCAP)
Fabian Gutierrez (Buies Creek WC) tech. fall Manuel Martir (Community Youth Center - Concord Campus Wrestling), 12-0
Billy Sullivan (Army WCAP) tech. fall Kenneth Crosby (New York AC/NMU), 14-6
Max Nowry (New York AC) tech. fall Drew West (Iowa), 14-5
Brady Koontz (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall William Jakeway (USOPTC), 8-0
Jace Koelzer (Position Wrestling) dec. Max Black (NMU/New York AC), 8-5
Dalton Roberts (Army WCAP) tech. fall Dylan Koontz (Titan Mercury WC), 8-0
Paxton Creese (Storm/New York AC) dec. Randon Miranda (New York AC), 7-3
Zane Richards (Illinois RTC/ Titan Mercury WC) fall Treygen Morin (Suples WC), 4:14
Xavier Johnson (Army WCAP) tech. fall Job Greenwood (GRIT Athletics WC), 9-0
Pierson Manville (Southwest WC) tech. fall Ty Lydic (New York AC), 10-0
Carter Nogle (Air Force RTC) tech. fall Riley Lomenick (Illinois), 12-3
Landon Drury (NMU-National Training Center) dec. Rhett Peak (Position Wrestling/NYAC), 5-2
Otto Black (New York AC) tech. fall Maddox Khalimsky (NMU-National Training Center), 8-0
Duncan Nelson (Air Force WCAP) tech. fall Lukas Kanownik (Suples WC), 9-0
Savion Haywood (Iguana Athletics WC) dec. Dean Noble (GRIT Athletics WC), 12-11
Peyton Omania (Orange County RTC) tech. fall Dante Rodriguez (KMWC), 8-0
Peyton Robb (Nebraska/New York AC) dec. Robert Perez III (Army WCAP), 5-0
Brett Back (Position Wrestling) dec. Alejandro Sancho (Army WCAP), 4-1
Benjamin Peak (New York AC) tech. fall Charles McKune (NMU-National Training Center), 8-0
Aliaksandr Kikiniou Jr. (New York AC) tech. fall Owen Hicks (West Point WC), 11-1
Aliaksandr Kikiniou Sr. (New York AC) tech. fall Jacob Fisher (Curby 3 Style WC), 10-2
Tyler Eischens (Tar Heel WC/New York AC) dec. Andrew Berreyesa (New York AC), 3-2
Joel Adams (Beaver Dam Wrestling RTC) dec. RaVaughn Perkins (New York AC), 3-2
Britton Holmes (Army WCAP) dec. Noah Wachsmuth (New York AC), 3-1
