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2026 Fargo

Day 1 Preview: Over 3,500 Men’s Freestyle Entries, Table Set For Fargo 2026

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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling

Samuel Sanchez at the 2025 Boys National High School Recruiting Showcase

Samuel Sanchez at the 2025 Boys National High School Recruiting Showcase

FARGO, N.D. – The USA Wrestling community has officially taken over the FARGODOME for the 55th edition of the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals.

 

Men’s freestyle leads us off on Friday with the Juniors taking the mat at 8 a.m. (CT) and the 16U athletes following at 4 p.m. (CT). Both divisions will wrestle up to the round-of-32 on the championship side, plus a round of consolation matches.

 

After weigh-ins were completed, the total number of men’s freestyle entries hit 3,558, with 1,818 in the Junior division and 1,740 in the 16U division. These numbers are a tick down from last year’s record 3,673 entries, but the quality of wrestling remains at an all-time high.

 

195 entrants have earned All-America honors in either the 16U or Junior division at a previous Fargo tournament. 165 past All-Americans will compete in the Junior division, while 30 All-Americans return at the 16U level. 106 members of last year’s All-American pool are back in 2026—48 Junior All-Americans and 58 16U All-Americans.

 

Three brackets in the Junior division (126 lbs., 132 lbs. and 138 lbs.) boast 151 wrestlers, the high-water mark for the event. The largest 16U bracket is 113 pounds, which features 144 wrestlers. Notably, 13-of-15 Junior brackets have at least 100 entries, and 10-of-17 16U brackets also meet the 100-wrestler threshold.

 

Let’s take a quick look at some of the top names entered in each men’s freestyle division.

Junior Men’s Freestyle 

5 Returning Junior Champions – Nathan Schuman of Pennsylvania (113), Turner Ross of Oklahoma (113), Antonio Mills of Georgia (132), Melvin Miller of Pennsylvania (165) and Nicholas Singer of Pennsylvania (190)

 

6 Returning Junior Runners-Up – Onofre Gonzales of Colorado (113), Cason Craft of Oklahoma (113), Justin Farnsworth of Pennsylvania (113), Clinton Shepherd of Indiana (150), Wyatt Medlin of Illinois (157) and Mason Ontiveros of California (190)

 

10 Returning 16U Champions Moving Up – Thiago Silva of California (120), Tommy Wurster of Ohio (132), Miklo Hernandez of Minnesota (132), Angel Cejudo Jr. of Arizona (132), Peyton Hornsby of Indiana (150), Colin Rutlin of Missouri (157), Ethan Sonne of Illinois (165), Mario Hutcherson of Pennsylvania (190), Satoshi Davis of Nevada (215) and Noah Larios of California (285).

 

Triple Crown Eligible

To win the USA Wrestling Triple Crown Award in the Junior Boys division, an athlete must claim national titles in folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman in the same year. Nine athletes have won the Junior Boys Triple Crown since the program began in 2007.

 

12 individuals eligible for the Junior Boys USA Wrestling Triple Crown, who won the 2026 Junior Folkstyle Nationals, are entered in the men’s freestyle tournament.

 

·      DeVaughn Miller of Alabama (100)

·      Cason Craft of Oklahoma (113)

·      Isaiah Jones of Oklahoma (126)

·      Hendrix Schwab of Iowa (132)

·      Maxwell Cumbee of Illinois (138)

·      Gavin Landers of Iowa (144)

·      Jake Mescher of Idaho (144)

·      Mac Crosson of Iowa (157)

·      Maximus Dhabolt of Iowa (175)

·      Waylon Cressell of Iowa (190)

·      Ladd Holman of Utah (215)

·      Kal-El Fluckiger of Arizona (285)

 

2025 Junior Nationals Top Five Teams – 1. Pennsylvania, 2. California, 3. Illinois, 4. Wisconsin, 5. Georgia

 

2026 Junior National Duals Top Five Teams – 1. Pennsylvania, 2. Indiana, 3. Illinois, 4. Wisconsin, 5. Ohio

16U Men’s Freestyle 

2 Returning 16U Champions – Leo Murillo of Pennsylvania (100) and Miro Parr-Coffin of Washington (106)

 

2 Returning 16U Runners-Up – Johnathan Thompson of Iowa (94), Asher Bacon of Pennsylvania (157)

 

10 Returning 14U Champions Moving Up – Chase Smith of Tennessee (94), Nelson Villafane of Pennsylvania (100), Cade Ruckle of Nevada (100), Amir Newman-Winfrey of Iowa (106), Jaxson Boucher of Michigan (120), Ryatt Rodden of Oklahoma (132), Jeremiah Hayes of Illinois (144), Ryder Zychek of Connecticut (144), Terriel Cooke of Florida (165) and Treyton Werth (285)

 

Triple Crown Eligible

To win the USA Wrestling Triple Crown Award in the 16U Boys division, an athlete must claim national titles in folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman in the same year. 27 athletes have won a 16U Boys Triple Crown since the program began in 2003.

 

13 individuals eligible for the 16U Boys USA Wrestling Triple Crown, who won the 2026 Junior Folkstyle Nationals, are entered in the men’s freestyle tournament.

 

·      Colton Wiseman of Indiana (94)

·      Johnathan Thompson of Iowa (94)

·      Noah Thomas of Illinois (113)

·      Patrick Pina III of Arizona (126)

·      Jeffrey Dunaway of Illinois (132)

·      Marco Costa of California (138)

·      Jeremiah Hayes of Illinois (144)

·      Caden Woodall of Arizona (150)

·      Jaimon Mogard of Iowa (157)

·      Harrison Murdock of Georgia (165)

·      Dresden Beard of Kansas (190)

·      Leland Havens of Wisconsin (285)

·      Sawyer Schendel of Minnesota (285)

 

2025 16U Nationals Top Five Teams – 1. Pennsylvania, 2. Ohio, 3. Iowa, 4. California, 5. Indiana

 

2026 16U National Duals Top Five Teams – 1. Pennsylvania, 2. Ohio, 3. California, 4. Minnesota, 5. Wisconsin

Follow The Action In Fargo 

Fans can browse brackets and up-to-date results from the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals on USA Bracketing. For those unable to attend in person, our broadcast partners at FloWrestling have the live broadcast of the event.

 

Visit the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals Event Hub and USA Wrestling’s social media platforms for complete coverage of the action in Fargo.