Kyle Dake battles Jordan Burroughs in the finals of the 2017 World Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)USA Wrestling has named Kyle Dake (Ithaca, N.Y./Titan Mercury WC/Finger Lakes WC) to its 2018 U.S. Men's Freestyle World Cup Team at 79 kg/174 lbs.
Dake will be on the USA Wrestling team which will compete at the 2018 Freestyle World Cup at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on the campus of the University of Iowa, April 7-8. The World Cup is the annual international dual meet championship, and will feature the top eight men's freestyle wrestling teams in the world.
Dake, 2016 a U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up, will be competing in his first Freestyle World Cup. His weight class, 79 kg, is one of the two new international weights added to freestyle wrestling this season.
He placed second at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at 86 kg. Dake also placed second at the U.S. World Team Trials three times at 74 kg (2013, 2014, 2017). Dake has won international gold medals at the Cerro Pelado International in Cuba in 2014 and the Paris International in France in 2017. Dake boasts a 2016 U.S. Open title and was second in the 2017 U.S. Open. While in high school, he competed on the 2008 Junior World Team in Greco-Roman.
In college, Dake was a four-time Div. I national champion for Cornell (2010-2013). He became the first wrestler to win four NCAA titles in four different weight classes. Dake also won the 2013 Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation's best college wrestler.
He was a two-time New York state champion for Lansing High School.
USA Wrestling will announce one World Cup participant in each of the 10 weight classes each day through March 14. In addition to these 10 athletes, additional athletes will be added to the team roster, with at least two wrestlers in each weight class.
The USA has drawn into Pool A against the nations of Japan, Georgia, and Iran. Pool B consists of teams from Russia, Azerbaijan, Cuba, and Kazakhstan. Iran is the defending World Cup team champions.
This will be the first major international event for the U.S. men's freestyle program, since the United States won the team title at the 2017 World Wrestling Championships in Paris, France last August. It was the first World Team Title for the USA in men's freestyle in 22 years and only the third time in history.
Ticket opportunities for the World Cup include a Gold all-session package ($225), a Black all-session package ($150), and standard all-session tickets ($75/$50). Tickets are now available on the University of Iowa Athletics website.
Visit worldcupiowacity.com for more information on the event.
FREESTYLE WORLD CUP
At Iowa City, Iowa, April 7-8
U.S. men's freestyle lineup (as of March 10)
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Thomas Gilman, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
61 kg/134 lbs. - Kendric Maple, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC)
65 kg/143 lbs. - Logan Stieber, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
70 kg/154 lbs. - James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska WTC)
79 kg/174 lbs. - Kyle Dake, Ithaca, N.Y. (Titan Mercury WC/Finger Lakes WC)
86 kg/189 lbs. -
92 kg/202.5 lbs. -
97 kg/213 lbs.
125 kg/275 lbs. -
National Freestyle Coaches - Bill Zadick, Kevin Jackson and Joe Russell (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Honorary Coaches - Dan Gable (Iowa City, Iowa), J Robinson (Minneapolis, Minn.), Mike Duroe (Marion, Iowa)
Additional U.S. athletes and delegation members will also be named.
KYLE DAKE
Residence: Ithaca, N.Y
Club: Titan Mercury WC
College: Cornell University
High School: Lansing (N.Y.)
Born: Feb. 25, 1991
Weight Class: 79 kg/174 lbs.
• Four-time NCAA champion for Cornell (2010-13)
• 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up (2016)
• Three-time U.S. World Team Trials runner-up (2013-14, 2017)
• 2016 U.S. Open champion
• 2017 Paris International champion
• 2014 Cerro Pelado International champion
• 2013 Dan Hodge Trophy recipient, as nation's top college wrestler
• 2008 U.S. Junior World Team member in Greco-Roman
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