Team USA
Men's Freestyle Team
Weight: 57 kg
Hometown: Selma, California
High School: Selma
College: Arizona State
Club: Sunkist Kids
Instagram: @richard.figueroa21
What you need to know: Figueroa recently graduated high school and will compete for Zeke Jones at Arizona State. He earned a silver medal at the 2018 Cadet Worlds and made a second appearance in 2019. The future Sun Devil was the top recruit in the nation, winning three California state championships in three attempts. His senior season was canceled due to COVID-19 protocols in his state.
Championship Series: Richard Figueroa II over Ryan Miller, 2-0
Match One: Figueroa def. Miller 10-1
Match Two: Figueroa def. Miller, 10-0, 1:24
Weight: 61 kg
Hometown: Crown Point, Indiana
High School: Crown Point
College: TBD
Club: Region Wrestling Academy
Instagram: @mendezjesse3
What you need to know: Mendez enters his senior year of high school as the top-ranked recruit in the nation. He was a member of the 2019 Cadet World team, a FloNationals champion, and is a three-time state champion with a shot at four next season. Mendez appears to be a sure thing at the college level — especially after he reached the U23 World Team Trials finals but had to injury default during the third and decisive match.
Championship Series: Mendez over Carter Young, 2-0
Match One: Mendez def. Young, Fall 1:32
Match Two: Mendez def. Young, 10-3
Weight: 65 kg
Hometown: Tempe, Arizona
High School: Wyoming Seminary
College: Penn State
Club: Nittany Lion Wrestling Club
Instagram: @beau.bartlett
What you need to know: Bartlett was a four-time National Prep champion who compiled a 177-8 high school record. He finished his freshman year for the Nittany Lions with an 8-3 record but did not qualify for the 2021 NCAA Championships at 149 pounds after finishing 1-2 at the B1G Championships.
Championship Series: Bartlett over Chance Lamer, 2-0
Match One: Bartlett def. Lamer, 11-3
Match Two: Bartlett def. Lamer, 3-2
Weight: 70 kg
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
High School: St. Edward
College: Virginia Tech
Club: Southeast RTC
Instagram: @bryceandonian
What you need to know: Andonian qualified for the 2020 NCAA Championships that were canceled due to COVID and went 2-2 at the tournament earlier this year. The Hokie sophomore currently has a 28-10 career college record after winning two Ohio state championships.
Championship Series: Andonian over Edward Scott, 2-0
Match One: Andonian def. Scott, Fall 1:01
Bout Two: Andronian def. Scott, 12-9
Weight: 74 kg
Hometown: Hartland, Wisconsin
High School: Arrowhead
College: Missouri
Club: Tiger Style Wrestling Club
Instagram: @keeganotoole165
What you need to know: O’Toole finished his true freshman season at Missouri with a 19-1 record and a third-place finish at the 2021 NCAA Championships in the 165-pound bracket. He entered college as the second-best recruit in the nation following a stellar prep career that included a Fargo title in 2018 and four Wisconsin state championships.
Championship Series: Keegan O'Toole over Cade Devos, 2-0
Match One: O’Toole def. Devos, 11-1 4:43
Match Two: O’Toole def. Devos, 8-0
Weight: 79 kg
Hometown: Portage, Indiana
High School: Portage
College: Indiana
Club: Indiana RTC
Instagram: @d_wj_
What you need to know: Washington completed his redshirt freshman season at Indiana with a 10-7 record and an appearance in the 174-pound bracket at the 2021 NCAA Championships, going 1-2. He finished his high school career with a 110-8 record and was a two-time Fargo All-American in Greco.
Championship Series: Washington over Jacob Logan, 2-0
Match One: Washington def. Logan, 8-5
Match Two: Washington def. Logan, 10-4
Weight: 86 kg
Hometown: Wentzville, Missouri
High School: Wentzville Holt
College: Missouri
Club: Tiger Style Wrestling Club
Instagram: @coltonhawks15
What you need to know: Hawks wrestled in select duals at 184 pounds for Missouri this season but was not the starter after a 5-3 rookie campaign. He was a three-time Fargo All-American, placing third at 182 pounds at 2018 Greco Juniors.
Championship Series: Colton Hawks over Darrien Roberts, 2-0
Match One: Hawks def. Roberts, 6-5
Bout Two: Hawks def. Roberts, FALL 4:00
Weight: 92 kg
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri
High School: Staley
College: Missouri
Club: Tiger Style Wrestling Club
Instagram: @rocky.rhode
What you need to know: Elam completed his freshman year at Missouri with a 17-2 record and a fifth-place finish in the 197-pound bracket at the 2021 NCAA Championships. He completed his high school career with a 156-16 record and was a three-time Fargo All-American, including a 16U freestyle title in 2018.
Championship Series: Rocky Elam over Zach Glazier, 2-0
Bout One – Elam def. Glazier, 10-0 5:25
Bout Two –Elam def. Glazier, 3-2
Weight: 97 kg
Hometown: Mineral Wells, West Virginia
High School: Parkersburg South
College: Wisconsin
Club: Wisconsin RTC
Instagram: @thebraxtonamos
What you need to know: Amos had quite a year in 2021 even though he didn’t compete in a college match. He made Junior World teams in freestyle and Greco and made the final Olympic Trials in both styles — reaching the best-of-three finals in Greco. Amos is a five-time Fargo champion and a six-time finalist.
Championship Series: Braxton Amos over Christian Carroll, 2-0
Match One: Amos def fall Carroll, 10-0, 0:45
Match Two: Amos def. fall Carroll, 14-5, 1:54
Weight: 125 kg
Hometown: Newton, Kansas
High School: Newton
College: Air Force
Club: Air Force RTC
Instagram: @wyatt_hendrickson
What you need to know: Hendrickson completed his freshman year at Air Force with a 16-5 record and an appearance at the 2021 NCAA Championships, where he went 3-2 and reached the Round of 12. He was a four-time Fargo All-American in both styles and a two-time Kansas state champion.
Championship Series: Hendrickson over Joshua Heindselman, 2-1
Match One: Heindselman dec. Hendrickson, 17-8
Match Two: Hendrickson dec. Heindselman, 10-8
Match Three: Hendrickson tech fall Heindselman, 11-0
Women's Freestyle Team
Weight: 50 kg
Hometown: Maple Grove, Minnesota
High School: Mounds View
College: Augsburg
Instagram: @emilyshilson22
What you need to know: Shilson is entering her junior year at Augsburg with an undefeated college career, winning a WCWA title in 2020 and WCWC titles in 2020 and 2021, all at 109 pounds. She also has a hefty international resume, including a silver medal at the 2017 Cadet Worlds and gold in 2018. Shilson qualified for the 2019 U23 Worlds and will participate in the event later this year.
Championship Series: Shilson over Samara Chavez, 2-0
Match One: Shilson def. Chavez, FALL 4:04
Match Two: Shiloson def. Chavez, FALL 5:04
Jaslynn Gallegos
Weight: 53 kg
Hometown: Brighton, Colorado
High School: Skyview
College: Presbyterian
Instagram: @jaslynn.isabella
What you need to know: Gallegos qualified for this year’s Junior World team following Tiare Ikei’s withdrawal due to an injury. She enters her junior year at Presbyterian as a two-time WCWC All-American (fourth in 2020 and third in 2021) and a 2020 WCWA national champion. Gallegos placed fifth at the 2019 Colorado boys’ state tournament — becoming the first female from the state to place.
Championship series: Tiare Ikei over Gallegos, 2-0
Match One: Ikei def. Gallegos, 10-0
Match Two: Ikei def. Gallegos, FALL 2:48
Payton Stroud
Weight: 55 kg
Hometown: Buckley, Washington
High School: White River
College: McKendree
Instagram: @payton.stroud
What you need to know: Stroud is a two-time WCWC All-American for McKendree, placing eighth in 2020 and fifth in 2021 at 123 pounds. She is also a four-time Fargo All-American, placing third three times and fifth once.
Championship Series: Stroud over Amani Jones, 2-0
Match One: Stroud def. Jones, 14-3
Match Two: Stroud def. Jones, 10-6
Claire DiCugno
Weight: 57 kg
Hometown: Lake Tapps, Washington
High School: White River
College: Colorado Mesa
Instagram: @makaluri_dicugno
What you need to know: DiCugno won two Washington state titles and is a two-time Fargo All-American, placing fifth in the 16U division in 2018 and fourth in 2019. She committed to Colorado Mesa and will compete for the Mavericks in the fall.
Championship Series: DiCugno over Jennifer Soto, 2-1
Match One: Soto def. DiCugno, 7-4
Match Two: DiCugno def. Soto, 11-0
Match Three: DiCugno def Soto, 11-1
Mia Macaluso
Weight: 59 kg
Hometown: Otisville, New York
High School: Minisink Valley
College: East Stroudsburg
Instagram: @mia.macaluso
What you need to know: Macaluso is a three-time Fargo All-American, bagging a 16U title in 2018. She will be a sophomore at East Stroudsburg after having last season canceled due to COVID-19. Macaluso won gold at the 2019 Cadet Pan American Championships and a bronze in the Junior division.
Championship Series: Macaluso over London Houston, 2-1
Match One: Macaluso def. Houston, FALL 2:13
Match Two: Houston def. Macaluso, 14-4
Match Three: Macaluso def. Houston, FALL 5:41
Weight: 62 kg
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
High School: Wyoming Seminary
College: NA
Instagram: @korinablades
What you need to know: Blades qualified for Cadet and Junior World teams this year after going 13-0 between both qualification tournaments and outscoring her opponents 128-8. The 16-year-old went 2-1 at the Cadet Worlds in July and will join her older sister, Kennedy, on this year’s Junior team. She is also a 2019 U15 World champion.
Championship series: Blades over Aliyah Yates, 2-0
Match One: Blades def. Yates, 10-0
Match Two: Blades def. Yates, 12-1
Weight: 65 kg
Hometown: Muncie, Indiana
High School: Yorktown
College: McKendree
Instagram: @alaraboyd_
What you need to know: Boyd enters her junior year at McKendree as a two-time WCWC finalist, placing second in 2020 and first in 2021. This will be her fourth age-level World team after bagging a bronze medal at the 2016 Cadet Worlds and a silver in 2017. Boyd is also a five-time Fargo All-American, winning a Junior title in 2019.
Championship Series: Boyd over Katerina Lange, 2-1
Match One: Lange def. Boyd, FALL:28
Match Two: Boyd def. Lange, 4-3
Match Three: Boyd def. Lange, 11-1
Weight: 68 kg
Hometown: Walnut Creek, California
High School: College Park
College: NA
Instagram: @amitelor1
What you need to know: Elor won the Cadet World Championships in July after winning a bronze medal in 2019. She won all 12 of her matches by fall or technical superiority at the Cadet and Junior World Team Trials without surrendering a point. The 17-year-old only wrestled her freshman season of high school where she went 44-0 with 44 pins to win the California girls state championships.
Championship Series: Elor over Cheyenne Bowman, 2-0
Match One: Elor def. Bowman, FALL 1:30
Match Two: Elor def. Bowman, 10-0
Weight: 72 kg
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
High School: Wyoming Seminary
College: NA
Instagram: @kennedyblades
What you need to know: Blades made a splash this year by making the finals of the 68-kg Olympic Trials at the age of 17. Her run included a dominant win over two-time Senior-level World team member Forrest Molinari before falling in the finals to 2019 World champion Tamyra Mensah-Stock. Blades is already a three-time Fargo national champion — winning a 16U title in 2018 and double titles in 2019 — and a 2019 Cadet World teamer. She will also compete at the U23 World Championships later this year.
Championship Series: Blades over Lillian Freitas, 2-0
Freitas forfeited both matches
Weight: 76 kg
Hometown: Waterford, Wisconsin
High School: Burlington
College: NA
Instagram: @kyliewelker24
What you need to know: Welker made both the Junior and U23 World teams this year prior to a dominant win at Junior Nationals in July. The 17-year-old reached the finals of the Olympic Trials where she fell to five-time World champion Adeline Gray in the best-of-three series. She’s already scored a bronze medal at the 2019 Cadet Worlds and is searching for more this year.
Championship series: Welker over Yelena Makoyed, 2-0
Match One: Welker over Makoyed, FALL 1:17
Match Two: Welker over Makoyed, 13-2
