U.S. women’s freestyle team set for Pan American Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 4-5

Xochitl Mota-Pettis tosses Alex Hedrick in the 2023 U.S. Open finals. Photo by Larry Slater.


The U.S. women’s freestyle team that will compete at the Pan American Senior Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 4-5 has been set with the conclusion of the U.S. Open in men’s freestyle in Las Vegas, Nev. on Saturday night.


The U.S. women’s Pan American team, which will compete May 4-5, has six 2022 World medalists on the roster, all who accepted their berth on the team: 2022 World champions Dom Parrish (53 kg) and Amit Elor (72 kg), 2022 World silver medalists Helen Maroulis (57 kg) and Kayla Miracle (62 kg) and 2022 World bronze medalists Sarah Hildebrandt (50 kg) and Mallory Velte (65 kg)


The Pan American women’s freestyle team weight classes which were determined at the U.S. Open were 55 kg, 59 kg, 68 kg and 76 kg.


Three of the 2023 U.S. Open champions will compete at the Pan American Championships, Alisha Howk (55 kg), Xochitl Mota-Pettis (59 kg) and Forrest Molinari (68 kg). Mota-Pettis will be competing up one weight class, as she won the U.S. Open at 57 kg. Molinari was a 2021 World bronze medalist, giving the U.S. team a total of seven World medalists in the lineup. Howk was a 2022 U23 World bronze medalist. The other team member is 2022 U20 World bronze medalist Tristan Kelly.


Of those on the U.S. women’s roster, Hildebrandt, Parrish and Molinari won Pan American Championships gold medals in 2022 in Acapulco, Mexico. Miracle won a silver in Acapulco, and Mota-Pettis claimed a bronze.


The Pan American Championships will be followed on May 7-8 with the first UWW Beach World Series event. The United States will field a team of men and women to compete in the event.


The Senior Pan American Championships and the Beach World Series – Buenos Aires will be broadcast live by FloWrestling. Buenos Aires time is one hour ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.

2023 PAN AMERICAN SENIOR WOMEN’S FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 4-5, 2023


U.S. women’s freestyle roster:

50 kg: Sarah Hildebrandt (New York AC/USOPTC)

53 kg: Dominique Parrish (Sunkist Kids)

55 kg: Alisha Howk (Sunkist Kids)

57 kg: Helen Maroulis (Sunkist Kids)

59 kg: Xochitl Mota-Pettis (Rise RTC)

62 kg: Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids)

65 kg: Mallory Velte (Titan Mercury WC/Beaver Dam WC)

68 kg: Forrest Molinari (Sunkist Kids)

72 kg: Amit Elor (Titan Mercury WC/NYC RTC)

76 kg: Tristan Kelly (Army WCAP)

USA Wrestling National Women’s Coach – Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.

USA Wrestling Assistant National Women’s Coach – Katie Kriebel, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Referee: Sam Julian, Schulykill Haven, Pa.

Referee: Jason Babi, Centennial, Colo.

Referee: Susanna Sylstad, Graham, Wash.

Referee: Paul Kruggel, Columbuas, Ohio

Medical: Ryan Palmer, Carthage, N.J.

Medical: Dr. Jesse Shaw, Beaverton, Ore.

Strength Coach: Mason Walters, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Nutritionist: Nuwanee Kirihennedige, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Executive Director: Rich Bender, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Delegate: Rick Tucci, Pembroke Pines, Fla.

Delegate: Jose Campo, Poway, Calif.

Event Schedule

(one hour ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)

Wednesday, May 3

Greco-Roman 55 kg, 60 kg, 63 kg, 67 kg, 72 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg

10:00 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage

4:45 p.m. -Opening Ceremonies

6:00 p.m. – Medal matches

Thursday, May 4

Greco-Roman 77 kg, 82 kg, 87 kg

Women’s freestyle 55 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg, 72 kg

10:00 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage

6:00 p.m. – Medal matches

Friday, May 5

Women’s freestyle 50 kg, 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg

Men’s freestyle 79 kg, 92 kg

10:00 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage

6:00 p.m. – Medal matches

Saturday, May 6

Men’s freestyle 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg

10:00 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage

6:00 p.m. – Medal matches

Sunday May 7 and Monday, May 8

Beach World Series – Buenos Aires