InterMat Staff

Deerfield

Mountain View

West Windsor-Plainsboro North

The US Open is upon us! The men’s freestyle tournament starts Friday and will feature its finals on Saturday evening. The field is always tough at this event; however, it seems even more imposing in 2025. There are four weight classes in particular that we’re going to focus on, as they feature the most loaded weight classes and could present some interesting storylines. Remember, all Open winners will clinch a spot in Final X 2025 - only two wins away from a world team berth. 61 kg This weight is a complete hodgepodge of different generations of lightweight stars. The top seed is high school senior Marcus Blaze. In the sixth slot is high school junior Jax Forrest. Mixed in are two national champions from 2016 (Nico Megaludis and Nahshon Garrett) along with one from 2015 (Nathan Tomasello). Regardless of age, from one through eight, you have a group of wrestlers who have or are fully capable of making world teams and bringing home medals. Let’s start with the potential quarterfinal matchups. #1 Marcus Blaze vs. #8 Nathan Tomasello. Despite Blaze’s high finish at the 2024 Olympic Trials and the 2024 Non-Olympic World Team Trials, these two haven’t met. It’ll be a great test for the young Blaze against a physically dominating presence like Tomasello. #4 Seth Gross vs. Austin DeSanto We’ve seen this matchup before in college and a couple years ago at the Open semifinals. It’s always an intriguing stylistic matchup. Gross’ creativity and scrambling against DeSanto’s pace and non-stop attack. In that last meeting, the former Hawkeye, DeSanto, prevailed 5-4. #3 Nahshon Garrett vs. #6 Jax Forrest Garrett has been very close to making world teams in the past but hasn’t gotten to suit up at the World Championships. He made the 2018 team but was injured and replaced by Joe Colon, who went on to medal. Forrest is mature beyond his years and capable of competing with anyone in this bracket. The pair were slated to hit at the 2024 World Team Trials; however, Garrett did not compete in the consi’s. #2 Daton Fix vs. #7 Nico Megaludis A meeting between a pair of past US Open champions. I don’t believe these two have squared off before. I’d expect this match to be very tactical as both wrestlers are pragmatic about their offensive attacks. So, those are just the potential quarterfinals! You have some spoilers like Nic Bouzakis, Ben Davino, and Michael McGee scattered throughout the bracket, as well. This is one of those brackets that could generate five different results if wrestled five different times. Or perhaps, it’s just a changing of the guard as the youth takes over. 70 kg A pair of past world finalists lead this weight with top-seeded James Green and #2 Yianni Diakomihalis. This tournament represents Diakomihalis’ return to competition after suffering an injury at the 2024 Olympic Team Trials. Green has proven time and time again that 70 kg is a perfect weight for him. He’s tried to move up and down for past Olympic Trials; however, none of those results compare to him at 70 kg. Last year, Green returned healthy from a brief retirement and earned the 70 kg spot on the world team with a pair of wins over Alec Pantaleo in the finals. You have to go back four years now to find a meeting between Diakomihalis and Green. Diakomihalis has taken all three of their prior matches, but two of them came down to criteria, so they were very competitive. Despite their credentials, this is far from a two-horse race. Pantaleo comes in as the third seed. Pantaleo is a 2022 US Open champion and has proven he can defeat top opponents on the international stage. Fellow Michigan alum Will Lewan is the fourth seed. Earlier this year, at the Albanian Rankings Series event, Lewan posted a win over Green. There’s a chance they could meet again in the semifinals. The former Cadet World Champion, Lewan, has always posted better results in freestyle, compared to folk. The same can be said for the fifth seed, Yahya Thomas, who would like to spoil a potential Green/Lewis rematch. Thomas was a 2022 U23 World Team member and was a silver medalist this year at the Henri DeGlane Ranking Series event. He downed Lewan last year in the Round of 16 at the World Team Trials. After the top five, you have U20 world medalist Bryce Andonian, Stanford All-American Daniel Cardenas, and U23 World Team member Doug Zapf. 74 kg One of the interesting subplots at 74 kg is that we might usher in a new era of competition at one of the United States’ best weights. Since 2011, either Jordan Burroughs or Kyle Dake has represented this weight at every Olympic Games or Senior World Championship event. Dake has moved up to 86 kg for this year and Burroughs is not competing in the Open. That leaves us with a potential 2024 NCAA finals rematch between David Carr and Mitchell Mesenbrink, the top two seeds, respectively. After finishing his collegiate career with his second national championship, by defeating Mesenbrink, Carr took third at the 2024 World Team Trials at 79 kg and has competed internationally twice in 2025. After the 2024 national tournament, Mesenbrink competed in the Olympic Trials and advanced to the challenge tournament semifinals before losing the much-talked-about match to Burroughs. After his loss to Burroughs, Mesenbrink posted a 12-1 tech over former NCAA runner-up Quincy Monday. Monday will be the third seed in Vegas. Monday has had a strong 2025 with a title at the Dan Kolov and a runner-up finish at the Henri DeGlane. A potential darkhorse here is Missouri alum, Jarrett Jacques. Though he never got on the NCAA podium, Jacques has proven to be excellent on the Senior level. At the Olympic Trials, Jacques notched wins over Monday, Vincenzo Joseph, and Tyler Berger. Along with veteran Elroy Perkin, this weight also has a trio of just-graduated college All-Americans - Peyton Hall, Terrell Barraclough, and Ed Scott, who are looking to prove themselves on the Senior level. 86 kg This might be my favorite weight to follow in Vegas. As mentioned earlier, Dake will be making his 86 kg debut. 74 kg was obviously very difficult for him to make and I’d imagine Dake has given this move plenty of thought. He’ll be one of two past world medalists at the weight. Zahid Valencia comes in as the second seed. Valencia made the 2024 World Team Trials, opposite David Taylor at 92 kg, but has been back down to 86 kg in 2025 with some excellent results. He racked up a ton of points in winning the Dan Kolov and the Zagreb Open. In the finals of the Kolov, Valencia teched the #3 seed Chance Marsteller. Should seeds hold up, we’ll likely see another chapter between the two. Marsteller is a past world team member at 79 kg. He wrestled at that weight in the 2024 World Team Trials, losing to Burroughs in the best-of-three finals, but has primarily competed at 86 kg for most of the last year and a half. The fourth seed at this weight is 2024 undefeated NCAA champion Parker Keckeisen. There’s no reason to think his excellent collegiate results won’t transfer into success at the Senior level. Of course, his debut will be a huge test with a potential matchup versus Dake looming in the semis. The rest of the seeded wrestlers include #5 Rocco Welsh, #6 Marcus Coleman, #7 Brayden Thompson, and #8 Dylan Fishback. While redshirting this collegiate season, Welsh gained valuable international experience and finished with a bronze medal at the Zagreb Open.

We’re on the brink of competition at the 2025 US Open and seeds have been released in both the men’s and women’s freestyle tournaments. Greco-Roman seeds will be forthcoming. Action starts in the women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments on Thursday. Men's Freestyle 57 KG 1. Luke Lilledahl (Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Daniel Deshazer (Gopher WC) 3. Liam Cronin (Nebraska WTC/Titan Mercury WC) 4. Brandon Courtney (Atreus WC) 5. Domenic Munaretto (Illinois) 6. Sheldon Seymour (Lehigh Valley RTC) 7. Caleb Smith (Nebraska WTC) 8. Nico Provo (California RTC) 61 KG 1. Marcus Blaze (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Daton Fix (Cowboy RTC) 3. Nahshon Garrett (Lehigh Valley RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 4. Seth Gross (MATPAC WC) 5. Austin DeSanto (Hawkeye WC/Titan Mercury WC) 6. Jax Forrest (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 7. Nico Megaludis (Pitt WC/Titan Mercury WC) 8. Nathan Tomasello (West Coast RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 65 KG 1. Joey McKenna (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Jesse Mendez (Ohio RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Beau Bartlett (Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) 4. Real Woods (Cliff Keen WC) 5. Aden Valencia (California RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 6. Joshua Koderhandt (Navy WC) 7. Carter Young (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 8. Vince Cornella (Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 70 KG 1. James Green (Nebraska WTC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Yianni Diakomihalis (Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Alec Pantaleo (Cliff Keen WC/Titan Mercury WC) 4. Will Lewan (Cliff Keen WC) 5. Yahya Thomas (New Jersey RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 6. Bryce Andonian (Southeast RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 7. Daniel Cardenas (California RTC) 8. Doug Zapf (Pennsylvania RTC) 74 KG 1. David Carr (Cyclone RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Mitchell Mesenbrink (Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Quincy Monday (New Jersey RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 4. Jarrett Jacques (Tiger Style WC) 5. Peyton Hall (West Virginia RTC) 6. Terrell Barraclough (Brunson UVRTC) 7. Elroy Perkin (Titan Mercury WC) 8. Ed Scott (Wolfpack WC/Titan Mercury WC) 79 KG 1. Evan Wick (SoCal RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Dean Hamiti (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Kennedy Monday (New Jersey RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 4. Danny Braunagel (Illinois RTC/Illini WC) 5. Carson Kharchla (Ohio RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 6. Simon Ruiz (Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 7. Mohamed McBryde (New York AC) 8. Clayton Whiting (Minnesota RTC) 86 KG 1. Kyle Dake (Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Zahid Valencia (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Chance Marsteller (New Jersey RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 4. Parker Keckeisen (Panther WC RTC) 5. Rocco Welsh (KD Training Center) 6. Marcus Coleman (Cyclone RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 7. Brayden Thompson (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 8. Dylan Fishback (Wolfpack RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 92 KG 1. Trent Hidlay (Wolfpack WC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Michael Macchiavello (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Aeoden Sinclair (Nebraska WTC/Titan Mercury WC) 4. Eric Schultz (Nebraska WTC/Titan Mercury WC) 5. Dustin Plott (Cowboy RTC) 6. Cameron Caffey (Michigan WC) 7. Seth Shumate (Ohio RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 8. Gavin Nelson (Minnesota RTC) 97 KG 1. Kyle Snyder (Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Jonathan Aiello (Pennsylvania RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Massoma Endene (Burg Training Center) 4. Gary Traub (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 5. Gavin Hoffman (Pennsylvania) 6. Ethan Laird (DMV RTC) 7. Christian Knop (Wolfpack RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 8. Mahkyi Smith (Sons of Atlas WC) 125 KG 1. Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC) 2. Wyatt Hendrickson (Cowboy RTC/Air Force WCAP) 3. Trent Hillger (Gopher WC) 4. Nick Feldman (Ohio RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 5. Jordan Wood (New York AC) 6. Christian Lance (Nebraska WTC/Titan Mercury WC) 7. Lucas Stoddard (West Point WC) 8. Demetrius Thomas (Rhode Island) Women's Freestyle 50 kg 1. Audrey Jimenez, (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Erin Golston (New York AC) 3. Mia Palumbo (Illinois) 4. Anaya Falcon (Titan Mercury WC) 5. Heather Crull (Northeastern WC) 6. Emily Shilson (Titan Mercury WC) 7. Ava Bayless (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) 8. Emilie Gonzalez (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) 53 kg 1. Felicity Taylor (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Sage Mortimer (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Katie Gomez (Titan Mercury WC) 4. Elena Ivaldi (California) 5. Sydney Petzinger (Cardinal WC) 6. Clare Booe (Team Tornado WC) 7. Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) 8. Isabella Marie Gonzales (Titan Mercury WC) 55 kg 1. Areana Villaescusa (U.S. Army WCAP) 2. Alisha Howk (New York AC) 3. Cristelle Rodriguez (Tiger WC) 4. Amani Jones (Cardinal WC/Titan Mercury WC) 5. Everest Leydecker (Thorobred WC) 6. Karissa Turnwall (Emmanuel Training Center) 7. Montana DeLawder (Team Tornado WC) 8. Leilah Castro (Ohio) 57 kg 1. Jacarra Winchester (USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Amanda Martinez (Cardinal WC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Lorianna Piestewa (Colorado Mesa WC) 4. Carissa Qureshi (USOPTC) 5. Sara Sterner (Cardinal WC) 6. Virginia Foard (Team Tornado WC) 7. Carolina Moreno (Southern Oregon RTC) 8. Bella Williams (USOPTC) 59 kg 1. Michaela Beck (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Xochitl Mota-Pettis (Rise RTC) 3. Abigail Nette (U.S. Army WCAP) 4. Alexis Janiak (Titan Mercury WC) 5. Sofia Macaluso (West Point WC) 6. Emily Frost (Iowa Women’s WC/Curby 3-Style WC) 7. Anna DiCugno (Team Tornado WC) 8. Alicen Dillard (Team Tornado WC) 62 kg 1. Kayla Miracle (Valliant WC) 2. Aduago Nwachukwu (U.S. Army WCAP) 3. Alara Boyd (Cardinal WC) 4. Katerina Lange (Minnesota Storm) 5. SaVannah Cosme (Atreus WC) 6. Bridgette Duty (U.S. Army WCAP) 7. Nanea Estrella (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) 8. Hanna Errthum (USOPTC) 65 kg 1. Isabella Mir (Cardinal WC) 2. Reese Larramendy (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Aine Drury (New York AC) 4. Jennifer Page (Titan Mercury WC) 5. Ana Luciano (Team Tornado WC) 6. Nina Makem (Minnesota Storm) 7. Niya Gaines (Tiger Den WC) 8. Bridgette Sotomayor (Tiger WC) 68 kg 1. Kennedy Blades (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Brooklyn Hays (USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Solin Piearcy (USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC) 4. Shannon Workinger (Quincy Regulator Wrestling) 5. Olivia Pizano (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC) 6. Clare Waite (Cardinal WC) 7. Destiny Lyng (Pennsylvania) 8. Noelle Gaffney (New Jersey) 72 kg 1. Skylar Grote (USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Alexandria Glaude (Beaver Dam RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Kaylynn Albrecht (USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC) 4. Tiffani Baublitz (Team Pennsylvania) 5. Elleni Johnson (Laker WC) 6. Joye Levendusky (Titan Mercury WC) 7. Rose Cassioppi (New York AC) 8. Micah Fisher (Kentucky) 76 kg 1. Kylie Welker (Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Yelena Makoyed (Cardinal WC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Dymond Guilford (USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC) 4. Tristan Kelly (U.S. Army WCAP) 5. Marlynne Deede (Laker WC) 6. Cheyenne Bowman (New York AC) 7. Ashley Lekas (Texas Wesleyan) 8. Kelani Corbett (The Valley WC)

It’s a new week, but still plenty of movement on the transfer portal front. As we move closer to the May 2nd deadline for normal portal entry, I’d expect a few more entries. The recent movement favors Oklahoma who added three transfers within the past couple of days. They now have four transfers. Another new addition to our transfer list is the wrestlers from non-DI schools who are set to move to DI programs. Most notable is three-time DIII champion Massoma Endene who stays in Iowa and moves from Wartburg to the Hawkeyes. Last year, Endene appeared ready to transfer to Wisconsin, but changed his mind and headed back to Wartburg. Now, he’s slated to take over the 197 lb weight class from 2025 NCAA champion Stephen Buchanan. Arizona State has hit the JUCO ranks hard and added a pair of NJCAA national champion teammates from Clackamas. There’s a chance that both could start in 2025-26. The first list of wrestlers we’ve listed have already publicly committed to a new transfer destination. That new school is listed first, along with their projected weight, followed by their former school. Below them are notable wrestlers that have gone into the transfer portal. It is not a comprehensive list. Expect many updates to this feature in the coming weeks and months. Transfers Appalachian State: Joe Fongaro (149) - Rutgers Arizona State: Gavin Bauder (133) - Clackamas CC Arizona State: David Szuba (285) - Rider Arizona State: Leo Tukhlynovych (174) - Rochester CTC Arizona State: Ane’e Vigil (125) - Clackamas CC Cal Poly: Luke Gayer (165) - Rutgers Cal Poly: Andre Gonzales (141) - Ohio State Campbell: Ethan Ducca (184) - Wyoming Chattanooga: Hunter Mason (141) - Virginia Tech Chattanooga: Carter Neves (285) - Ohio State Clarion: Connor Eck (157) - Lock Haven Clarion: Ky Szewczyk (133) - Ohio Edinboro: Tate Geiser (165/174) - Cleveland State Illinois: Ryan Boersma (285) - Triton College Illinois: Spencer Moore (125) - North Carolina Indiana: Orlando Cruz (174) - Purdue Iowa: Nasir Bailey (133/141) - Little Rock Iowa: Massoma Endene (197) - Wartburg Iowa: Dean Peterson (125) - Rutgers Iowa: Jordan Williams (149) - Little Rock Iowa State: Isaac Dean (184) - Rider Iowa State: Rocky Elam (197) - Missouri Iowa State: Malton Powe (165) - Pratt CC Little Rock: Brock Herman (157) - Ohio State Michigan: Taye Ghadiali (285) - Campbell Michigan: Lachlan McNeil (149) - North Carolina Michigan: Diego Sotelo (125) - Harvard Minnesota: Jore Volk (125) - Wyoming Missouri: Maxx Mayfield (165) - Northwestern Morgan State: Anthony Ferrari (157) - Long Island NC State: Zach Redding (133/141) - Iowa State North Carolina: AJ Ferrari (197/285) - CSU Bakersfield North Carolina: Bryce Hepner (157/165) - Ohio State North Carolina: Kysen Terukina (125) - Iowa State Northern Iowa: Caleb Rathjen (149) - Iowa Ohio State: Cody Chittum (157) - Iowa State Ohio State: Ethan Stiles (149) - Oregon State Oklahoma: Tyson Charmoli (133) - Wyoming Oklahoma: Peyton Kellar (157) - Ohio Oklahoma: Brian Soldano (184) - Rutgers Oklahoma: Tyler Wells (133) - Minnesota Oklahoma State: Alex Facundo (165) - Penn State Oklahoma State: Richie Figueroa (125/133) - Arizona State Oklahoma State: Zack Ryder (184) - Penn State Oklahoma State: Gary Steen (133) - Penn State Oklahoma State: Casey Swiderski (149) - Iowa State Oregon State: Joel Adams (149) - Michigan/CKWC Penn State: Rocco Welsh (184) - Ohio State Purdue: Blake Boarman (133) - Chattanooga Purdue: Gavin Brown (149) - Ohio State Rider: Eli Griffin (141) - California Baptist Rider: Dylan Layton (149) - Cleveland State Rutgers: Hunter Catka (285) - Virginia Tech Rutgers: Remy Cotton (197) - Michigan State Rutgers: Lenny Pinto (174) - Nebraska Virginia: Colton Washleski (157) - Rider Virginia Tech: Ethen Miller (157) - Maryland West Virginia: Louie Gill (125) - NC State Wyoming: Christian Carroll (197/285) - Iowa State Portal Brendon Abdon (165) - Little Rock Jake Crapps (133) - Missouri Lucas Daly (184) - Michigan State Jordan Decatur (141) - Kent State Kyle Dutton (149) - Little Rock David Evans (149) - Penn State Dylan Fishback (184) - NC State Jack Gioffre (149) - Virginia Michael Gioffre (157) - Virginia Chase Horne (285) - NC State Chance Lamer (149) - Cal Poly Daschle Lamer (184) - Cal Poly Cade Lautt (197) - North Carolina Willie McDougald (149) - Oklahoma Billy Meiszner (149) - Kent State Draegen Orine (133) - NC State Isaiah Powe (141) - Chattanooga Vince Santaniello (133) - Pittsburgh Nate Schon (197) - Iowa State Mike Slade (184/197) - Campbell Sean Spidle (133) - Central Michigan TJ Stewart (184) - Virginia Tech Jesse Vasquez (149) - Arizona State John Wiley (157) - Oklahoma Kevin Zimmer (285) - Wyoming

Stuart W. Cramer

Grove City

Bellefonte

Bexley

Germantown Academy

Shakopee via Rochester Community and Tech

Spain Park

Mountainside

Edmond North

Pleasantville

Flower Mound

Maine West

JP McCaskey

Palm Coast

Arundel

LaPlata

Edmond North

New Haven

Pope