By Ellen Paddock, USA Wrestling

The U.S. will send 16 athletes between the Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle disciplines to the Matteo Pellicone ranking series event in Rome, Italy, June 22-25. This event will help determine seeds for the 2022 Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, Sept. 10-18.

There will be eight members of the 2022 U.S. Senior World Team competing at the Matteo Pellicone, seven in Greco-Roman and one in women’s freestyle. This competition will be part of their preparation for the Senior World Championships in Serbia.

The 2022 Greco-Roman World Team members who are competing are 2020 Olympians Ildar Hafizov (60 kg) and Alejandro Sancho (67 kg), 2016 Olympian Jesse Thielke (63 kg) plus past World Team members Max Nowry (55 kg), Kamal Bey (77 kg), Alan Vera (87 kg) and Cohlton Schultz (130 kg). Nowry is a past University World champion, Bey a past Junior World champion and Schultz a past Cadet World champion.

The 2022 Women’s Freestyle World Team member wrestling in Italy is Abigail Nette (59 kg), who has qualified for her first Senior World Championships. Nette won the 2021 Matteo Pellicone Ranking Event and looks to repeat and is a past U23 World Team member.

The rest of the roster features a number of experienced athletes, including numerous 2022-23 Senior National Team members, who finished in the top three at their weight class during the World Team qualifying process. Past World Team member Patrick Smith (72 kg) and 2021 U.S. Open champion Spencer Woods (82 kg), both current National Team members, round out the Greco-Roman roster

The women’s roster will be highly competitive. Two more previous U23 World Team members are in the mix– Amanda Martinez (57 kg) and Emma Bruntil (65 kg). Skylar Grote (72 kg) brings a 2022 Pan American gold medal and Yelena Makoyed (76 kg) a Junior Pan American gold medal. Makoyed and Bruntil have both won two NCWWC college national titles. 2019 NAIA national champion Marilyn Garcia (72 kg) is on the tour.

All six of the women competing at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series Event are members of the 2022-23 U.S. Women’s Senior National Team. The tournament kicks off with Greco-Roman action on Wednesday with women’s freestyle matches starting on Thursday and concluding on Friday.

The action can be streamed live on FloWrestling. Rome is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.

MATTEO PELLICONE RANKING SERIES EVENT

At Rome Italy, June 22-25, 2022

U.S. Greco-Roman roster

55 kg: Max Nowry (Army WCAP)

60 kg: Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP)

63 kg: Jesse Thielke (Army WCAP)

67 kg: Alejandro Sancho (Army WCAP)

72 kg: Patrick Smith (Minnesota Storm)

77 kg: Kamal Bey (Army WCAP)

82 kg: Spencer Woods (Army WCAP)

87 kg: Alan Vera (NYAC)

130 kg: Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids)

National Greco-Roman Coach: Matt Lindland, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Coach: Spencer Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Coach: Herb House, Castle Rock, Colo.

U.S. women’s freestyle roster

57kg: Amanda Martinez (Cardinal WC/TMWC)

59kg: Abigail Nette (Army WCAP)

65kg: Emma Bruntil (TMWC)

72kg: Marilyn Garcia (California)

72kg: Skylar Grote (Beaver Dam RTC/NYAC)

76kg: Yelena Makoyed (Cardinal WC/TMWC)

National Women’s Coach: Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Coach: Bruce Robinson, Fort Carson, Colo.

Coach: Andy Cook, Ocean Shores, Wash.

Official – Cody Hesser, Gonzalez, La.

Official – Sam Julian, Schuylkill Haven, Pa.

Medical – Jessica Battilochi, Tempe, Ariz.

Medical – Jesse Shaw, Beaverton, Ore.

Event Schedule

(local time, six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)

Wednesday, June 22

10:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage (GR 55, 60, 63, 67, 87, 97, 130)

5 p.m. – Opening ceremony

6 p.m. – Medal matches (GR 55, 60, 63, 67, 87, 97, 130)

Thursday, June 23

8 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage (GR 72, 77, 82 & WFS 57, 62, 68, 76)

6 p.m. – Medal matches (GR 72, 77, 82 & WFS 57, 62, 68, 76)

Friday, June 24

8 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage (WFS 50, 53, 55, 59, 65, 72 & FS 97,125)

6 p.m. – Medal matches (WFS 50, 53, 55, 59, 65, 72 & FS 97, 125)

Saturday, June 25

8 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage (FS 57, 61, 65, 70, 74, 79, 86, 92)

7 p.m. – Medal matches (FS 57, 61, 65, 70, 74, 79, 86, 92)