Olympic Trials Preview: World medalist Parris sits out, Gwiazdowski, Zillmer, Kerkvliet among challengers

Michigan’s 2023 NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy winner Mason Parris placed second in 2023 Final X to Olympic champion Gable Steveson, who returned from his WWE entertainment career in 2023. Steveson decided not to go to the 2023 Senior Worlds and is not expected to wrestle this year, either. Instead, Parris went to Belgrade, Serbia, won a 2023 World bronze medal and qualified Team USA for the Paris Olympic Games. Parris sits out until the Championship Series, awaiting one opponent from the Challenge Tournament.

Since winning his World medal, Parris has won both the 2023 Pan American Games and 2024 Pan American Championships. He was also third at the Zagreb Open in Croatia. Parris showed his vast potential in freestyle when he won a 2019 U20 World title. He was one of the all-time greats at Michigan, a four-time All-American and two-time NCAA finalist. He moves well on his feet and has great offense, but also has the power needed to win big matches at heavyweight

Two-time World bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski has the most achievements of anybody in the Challenge Tournament.  “Gwizz” has been on four Senior World Teams, winning his World bronze medals in 2017 and 2018. He placed second to Steveson in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, and has since been battling to return to the top of this weight class. He won a gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Games. A two-time NCAA champion and three-time finalist for NC State, Gwiazdowski will need to be at his best to advance to the finals.

2022 Senior World Team member Hayden Zillmer returns for the Olympic Trials after missing the 2023 season due to injury. Zillmer beat Gwiazdowski in 2022 Final X and placed seventh at the Senior Worlds that year. This season, Zillmer won the Henri Deglane Challenge in France. He has been a Senior National Team member in both freestyle and Greco-Roman and has thrived since he moved up to heavyweight. A native of Minnesota, Zillmer was an All-American at North Dakota State, but returned to pursue his Olympic dreams in his home state with the Gopher WC RTC.

Penn State’s 2024 NCAA champion Greg Kerkvliet brings a strong age-group freestyle record to the Olympic Trials, including a 2017 U17 World title, 2018 U17 World silver and a 2019 U23 World Team berth. By winning his NCAA title in Kansas City this year, Kerkvliet qualified to compete in front of the Penn State faithful at the Olympic Trials. Kerkvliet was third in the 2019 Senior Nationals, his last major event at the Senior level. He was a four-time NCAA All-American for Penn State and two-time finalist.

2023 U23 World champion Wyatt Hendrickson is a top challenger and has become a fan favorite competing for the U.S. Air Force Academy and claiming two All-American honors. Hendrickson has twice won the NCAA Most Dominant Award, due to his numerous pins and technical falls. At the 2023 World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, he lost a razor-thin wide-open match to Parris that fans are still talking about.

Dom Bradley, who won the December 2023 Senior Nationals, competes in his fourth U.S. Olympic Team Trials, easily the most experienced heavyweight in the nation. Bradley won a U20 World title back in 2009, and has been winning at the national and international level ever since. Although he has not made a Senior World team, he has won three Senior Pan American Championships and numerous other international medals.

2023 Bill Farrell International runner-up Christian Lance has been making good progress on the national freestyle scene. An All-American at Nebraska, Lance was second at the December 2023 Senior Nationals, and has placed at the Senior Nationals four times.

Two others who qualified for the Olympic Trials through the December 2023 Senior Nationals were Gary Traub, who placed third at the December 2023 Senior Nationals and Trent Hillger, who was fifth. “Gas Tank Gary” made an impact on the college level, first at Ohio State and then for Oregon State. Hillger was a four-time All-American for Wisconsin. He was fourth at the 2020 Senior Nationals

Jaron Smith, a two-time NCAA qualifier for Maryland, won the Last Chance Qualifier to claim the final spot in the Olympic Trials at this weight class. Smith’s top previous freestyle achievement was second place at the 2017 U20 World Team Trials.

While weight classes and final athlete registrations are not finalized until the completion of weigh-ins, this cast of 10 wrestlers is the expected 125 kg field for the Olympic Trials.

Fans looking to attend the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in person can still purchase all session tickets and single session tickets through Ticketmaster.

For those unable to grab a ticket, fear not—all the action from Bryce Jordan Center will be broadcast by NBC properties, April 19-20. The Friday and Saturday evening sessions will be televised on USA Network. NBC’s streaming platform Peacock will host live streams of each mat throughout the competition.

Complete brackets and live results for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials will be hosted on Trackwrestling.com. Fans can also follow @usawrestling on the various social media platforms for regular updates throughout the event.

For more information about the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, please visit usawrestlingevents.com.

2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Wrestling

April 19-20, Bryce Jordan Center, State College, Pa.

Event Schedule

Friday, April 19

10 a.m. (ET) – Challenge tournament prelims, quarterfinals, consolations

6:30 p.m. (ET) – Challenge tournament semifinals, finals

Saturday, April 20

10 a.m. (ET) – Championship series round one (all weights), championship series round two (GR 60-67-77 kg, MFS 57-65 kg), challenge tournament consolations, true third (if necessary)

6:30 p.m. (ET) –Championship series round two, championship series round three (if necessary)

Men’s freestyle 125 kg

Best of Three Championship Series

2023 Senior World bronze medalist at Olympic weight - Mason Parris (Cliff Keen WC/TMWC)

Challenge Tournament participants

2022 World Team member – Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC RTC)

2021 World Team member – Nick Gwiazdowski (Spartan Combat WC/TMWC)

2023 U23 World champion – Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force RTC)

2023 Bill Farrell runner-up – Christian Lance (Sunkist Kids)

Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals champion – Dominique Bradley (Sunkist Kids WC)

Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals third place – Gary Traub (Cowboy RTC/TMWC)

Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fifth place – Trent Hillger (Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC)

2024 NCAA Div. I champion at 286 lbs. – Greg Kerkvliet (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC)2024 Final Olympic Trials Qualifier champion – Jaron Smith (Orange Crush)