How Does Our MFS U23 World Team Stack Up?

On Tuesday, USA Wrestling announced the lineup for the men’s freestyle team at the U23 World Championships which will be held in Tampere, Finland in late-October. 

The U23 roster isn’t as simple as the winners of the U23 World Team Trials, held early this month in Geneva, Ohio. If a member of the Senior National team qualifies age-wise and wants the spot, it belongs to them. So there was some level of uncertainty as to who would be representing the red, white, and blue. 

As it turns out, our 2023 team is extremely stacked! It has the potential to be perhaps the best ever since the division was rebranded in 2017. As of now, the standard is last year’s squad which brought home five medals (two silvers and two bronzes). The 2023 team has a decent amount of international experience combined with potential from some newcomers. 

Here are some key freestyle credentials from the members of the 2023 team, along with a reminder of what our past teams have achieved at this tournament. 

57 kg - Cooper Flynn (Virginia Tech)

2023 US Open 5th Place; 2022 WTT U20 Runner-Up, 2022 US Open U20 5th Place, 2x Fargo Junior All-American (3rd, 7th), 2021 UWW Junior 4th Place
 

61 kg - Julian Chlebove (Arizona State)

65 kg - Brock Hardy (Nebraska)

2017 Fargo Junior 7th Place, 2x Fargo Cadet All-American (1st, 2nd)
 

70 kg - Sammy Sasso (Ohio State)

2023 US Open Runner-Up, 2022 US Open 5th Place, 2019 WTT Junior Runner-Up, 2019 US Open Junior Champion, 2017 Fargo Junior 5th Place, 2x Fargo Cadet All-American (2nd, 1st)
 

74 kg - Keegan O’Toole (Missouri)

2023 US Open 3rd Place, 2021 U20 World Champion, 2x UWW Junior Champion,  2x Fargo Junior All-American (3rd, 1st)
 

79 kg - Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State)

2x U23 WTT Champion, 2x UWW Junior All-American (2nd, 3rd), 2x US Open Junior Placewinner (2nd, 3rd),  2x Fargo Junior Runner-Up

86 kg - Aaron Brooks (Penn State)

2023 US Open Champion, 2019 Senior National 6th Place, 2019 Junior World Team Member, 2018 Junior World Silver Medalist, 2017 Cadet World Champion
 

92 kg - Jacob Cardenas (Cornell)

2022 U23 World Bronze Medalist, 2x U23 WTT Champion, 2019 UWW Junior 6th Place, 2018 UWW Cadet 5th Place
 

97 kg - Isaac Trumble (NC State)

2x US Open Runner-Up, 2021 Senior National 5th Place, 2021 UWW Junior 6th Place, 2019 Fargo Junior 4th Place

125 kg - Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force)

2023 World Team Trials Challenge Tournament 4th Place, 2023 US Open 4th Place, 2021 U20 World 5th Place, 2019 US Open Junior 6th Place, 2018 Fargo Junior 3rd Place
 

2022 Team

57 kg - Vito Arujau (10th)

61 kg - Aaron Nagao (5th)

65 kg - Cole Matthews (11th)

70 kg - Yahya Thomas (5th)

74 kg - David Carr (11th)

79 kg - Carter Starocci (Bronze)

86 kg - Trent Hidlay (Silver)

92 kg - Jacob Cardenas (Silver)

97 kg - Tanner Sloan (Silver)

125 kg - Tony Cassioppi (Bronze)

Medal Count: 5; 3 Silver, 2 Bronze
 

2021 Team

57 kg - Patrick Glory (13th)

61 kg - Chris Cannon (5th)

65 kg - Dom Demas (10th)

70 kg - Brock Mauller (16th) 

74 kg - Peyton Robb (11th)

79 kg - Jake Marsh (13th)

86 kg - Myles Wilson (12th)

92 kg - Nino Bonaccorsi (10th)

97 kg - Jay Aiello (Bronze)

125 kg - Tony Cassioppi (Gold)

Medal Count: 2; 1 Gold; 1 Bronze
 

2019 Team

57 kg - Gabe Townsell (13th)

61 kg - Chas Tucker (15th)

65 kg - Jaydin Eierman (8th)

70 kg - Alec Pantaleo (9th)

74 kg - Brady Berge (19th)

79 kg - Muhamed McBryde (5th)

86 kg - Max Dean (19th)

92 kg - Bo Nickal (Gold)

97 kg - Chase Singletary (10th)

125 kg - Greg Kerkvliet (5th)

Medal Count: 1; 1 Gold
 

2018 Team

57 kg - Jack Mueller (5th)

61 kg - Sean Fausz (Silver)

65 kg - Colton McCrystal (7th)

70 kg - Hayden Hidlay (9th)

74 kg - Alex Smythe (18th)

79 kg - David McFadden (7th)

86 kg - Myles Martin (11th)

92 kg - Christian Brunner (10th)

97 kg - Kollin Moore (Silver)

125 kg - Youssif Hemida (Silver)

Medal Count: 3; 3 Silver

2017 Team 

57 kg - Daton Fix (19th)

61 kg - Mitch McKee (10th)

65 kg - Joey McKenna (Bronze)

70 kg - Richie Lewis (Gold)

74 kg - Isaiah Martinez (5th)

86 kg - Sam Brooks (17th)

97 kg - Ty Walz (Bronze)

125 kg - Michael Kroells (17th)

Medal Count: 3; 1 Gold, 2 Bronze