25
Belleville, IL
University of Illinois
2024-25 Team USA ranking: No. 4 at 87 kg
2025-26 Team USA Ranking: No. 3 at 87 kg/191.8 pounds
Years on Team USA: 3 (2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26)
Residence: Arnold, Md.
Regional Training Center: Illinois Regional Training Center
Club: Illini WC
High School: Belleville, Ill. (Althoff Catholic High School)
Born: July 15, 2000
2023 Senior Worlds (17th at 87 kg)
2019 U20 Worlds (10th at 82 kg)
2025: Gold medalist at Bill Farrell Memorial International … Placed third at U.S. Open
2024: Placed third at U.S. Olympic Team Trials
2023: Placed 17th at World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia … Placed fourth at Senior Nationals … Final X champion … Senior World Team Trials champion … Placed third at U.S. Open
2020: Placed third at Senior Nationals
2019: Placed 10th at U20 World Championships in Tallin, Estonia … Gold medalist at U20 Pan American Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala in freestyle … U.S. Open champion in UWW Junior Greco-Roman … U.S. Open runner-up in UWW Junior freestyle … Placed fourth at Junior Freestyle World Team Trials
2018: UWW Junior World Team Trials runner-up … U.S. Open runner-up in UWW Junior
2017: Placed third at UWW Cadet Nationals
College: Four-time NCAA National Qualifier (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) … Third at 2022 Big Ten Championships (184 pounds) … Fourth at 2023 Big Ten Championships (197 pounds) … Coached by Mike Poeta, Jeremy Hunter, Isaiah Martinez, Ed Ruth, Christian Kanzler and Bryan Medlin … Graduated with Bachelor of Science of Marketing in Business … Graduated with a Master’s degree in Strategic Brand Communication
High School: Graduate of Althoff Catholic High School in Belleville, Illinois … Two-time Illinois state champion (2017 and 2018) … Three-time All-State … Also played football in high school
USA Wrestling Age-Group: 2018 Junior Nationals champion, third in freestyle … 2018 Northern Plains Regional champion in Greco-Roman and freestyle … Placed third at 2017 Junior Nationals, fourth in freestyle … 2017 Central Regional champion in Greco-Roman and freestyle … 2016 Cliff Keen Preseason Nationals runner-up … Placed fifth at 2016 Cadet Freestyle Nationals … Finished third at 2015 Northern Plains Regionals in freestyle
Personal: Son of Elaine and Joe Braunagel … Has three brothers, Danny, Joe and Jarrid … Brothers Danny and Joe also wrestled at Illinois
Instagram: @Braunagel
X: @BraunagelZac
3 photos
ZAGREB, Croatia – After a big opening session with a win over an Olympic bronze medalist, Payton Jacobson was unable to keep the momentum going in the evening session and finished fifth at 87 kg in the Zagreb Open.In the bronze medal match, the 2025 U2...
ZAGREB, Croatia – 2025 U23 World bronze medalist Payton Jacobson battled through the repechage at 87 kg to move into a bronze medal match at the Zagreb Open.Jacobson started the tournament with back-to-back wins to move into the quarterfinals. He first...
ZAGREB, Croatia – A quartet of Olympians lead Team USA’s 19-man Greco-Roman side into the Zagreb Open. This weekend’s action in Croatia is United World Wrestling’s first Ranking Series event of the season. 2024 Olympians Kamal Bey and Payton Jacobson s...
HAPARANDA, Sweden – The U.S. Greco-Roman group competing at Sweden’s Haparanda Cup secured a gold medal finish from upstart Jace Koelzer at 60 kg on Saturday at Haparanda Aspen Arena.Koelzer, who trains out of Edmond, Okla., under Olympian Sam Hazewink...
Three Greco-Roman athletes will represent the U.S. at the upcoming Haparanda Cup in Haparanda, Sweden, including 2023 U.S. World Team member Zac Braunagel. Braunagel, who is fresh off a gold medal win at the Bill Farrell Memorial International, is prim...
