Dennis Hall of Wisconsin wins 50th Junior Nationals Greco-Roman fantasy bracket voting, beating Brent Metcalf of Michigan

USA Wrestling file photo of Dennis Hall


Right from the start of the opening of the bracket voting for the finals, Dennis Hall of Wisconsin was the overwhelming choice of the fans as the best Junior Nationals Greco-Roman wrestlers of the last 50 years of the Junior Nationals.


Hall, a three-time Junior Nationals Greco-Roman champion, squared off in the finals with another three-time Junior Nationals Greco-Roman champion, Brent Metcalf of Michigan. When the voting closed down, Hall won the finals pairing handily, 75%-25%.


Fans were asked to vote based upon their Junior National freestyle careers only, and should not reflect their successes in Greco-Roman, nor how well they did in college and the international levels.


Dennis Hall became a Greco-Roman specialist after his high school career, which included three Wisconsin state titles for Hartford High School. Hall won Junior National Greco-Roman titles in 1987, 1988 and 1989. He was a 1996 Olympic silver medalist, 1995 World champion and 1994 World bronze medalist, one of the few U.S. wrestlers to win a World or Olympic medal of each color. Hall made three U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman teams. He went to Wisconsin as a college freshman, then switched completely to focus on Greco-Roman the rest of his career. He has also established himself as a premier Greco-Roman coach, working with athletes of many age levels.


Metcalf won four Michigan state high school titles for Davison High School. He competed in all styles growing up, winning a USA Wrestling Kids Triple Crown, then becoming a six-time Junior Nationals champion (winning three in freestyle and three in Greco-Roman, competing in 2003, 2004, 2005). Metcalf became a freestyle specialist after high school. His college career started at Virginia Tech, and he followed coach Tom Brands to Iowa, where he won two NCAA titles and was a three-time finalist. Metcalf made four U.S. Senior World Freestyle teams and is now an accomplished assistant coach at Iowa State.


Here is how each finalist worked his way through the fantasy bracket.

Dennis Hall (Hartford, Wis.)

Round of 32 - Dennis Hall (WI) over Mitchell McKee (MN), 82%-18%

Round of 16 - Dennis Hall (WI) over Matt Nagel (MN), 82%-18%

Quarterfinals - Dennis Hall (WI) over Brandon Paulson (MN), 59%-41%

Semifinals – Dennis Hall (WI) over Garrett Lowney (WI), 83%-17%

Finals – Dennis Hall (WI) over Brent Metcalf (MI), 75%-25%

Brent Metcalf (Davison, Mich.)

Round of 32 – Brent Metcalf (MI) over Matt Goldstein (IL), 95%-5%

Round of 16 - Brent Metcalf (MI) over Kendrick Sanders (FL), 55%-45%

Quarterfinals - Brent Metcalf (MI) over Justin Ruiz (UT), 60%-40%

Semifinals - Brent Metcalf (MI) over Sam Henson (MO), 72%-28%

Finals – Dennis Hall (WI) over Brent Metcalf (MI), 75%-25%


USA Wrestling fans can review the results of the entire Greco-Roman bracket by clicking below:
50th Junior Greco-Roman Nationals - Fantasy Bracket


The first USA Wrestling Junior Nationals was held in the Fieldhouse at the University of Iowa in 1971, and contested only in men’s freestyle. Greco-Roman was added in 1972. With the 2020 event cancelled due to the pandemic, this year’s version will be the 50th time our nation’s best high school Greco-Roman wrestlers have come together to battle for national titles and All-American honors. Numerous World and Olympic champions and medalists have competed in this prestigious event.


The 2022 USA Wrestling USMC Junior and 16U National Championships will be held at the FargoDome in Fargo, N.D., July 16-22, with competition in men’s freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle.