Nation’s top young athletes expected for the world’s largest tournament, the USMC Junior & 16U Nationals in Fargo, N.D., July 13-20

FARGO, N.D. - Every year, the nation's best young wrestlers come together for the world's largest wrestling competition, the 2024 U.S Marine Corps Junior and 16U Nationals at the Fargodome on the campus of North Dakota State in Fargo, N.D.

In 2023, the Junior/16U Nationals set a new participation record, with a combined 7,134 participants in the six national tournaments. Five of the six tournaments in 2022 saw growth over the previous year.

Based upon preliminary registration from USA Wrestling’s state associations, organizers expect to challenge to set another new record this year, with continued growth in all six tournaments.

It all started with the Junior Nationals in men’s freestyle, held in Iowa City, Iowa in 1971, which added Greco-Roman in 1972, and later was merged with the 16U Nationals (formerly the Cadet Nationals) in 1996. The Junior Nationals enters its 53^nd year, held anunally except in 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2024 tournament is scheduled for July 13-20, and the field is as strong as ever. USA Wrestling has official state association team standings in all the divisions held in Fargo, adding to the tradition of state wrestling pride exhibited at this event.

The USMC Junior Nationals features high school wrestlers in grades 9-12. Every year, the Junior division features talented athletes who are proven winners, as well as many emerging stars.  The 16U division features athletes who turned 15 or 16 years old in 2024 and is a tournament where athletes can begin to make a name for themselves on the national level.

The combined USMC Junior and 16U Nationals has become a traditional highlight of the wrestling season. This year’s event will feel quite a bit different, due to a big change in the schedule and event presentation.

For the second straight year, the tournament is broken up by discipline. Both the Junior and 16U Nationals finals in each discipline will be held side-by-side on two raised mats. It starts with women’s freestyle (July 13-14), followed by men’s freestyle (July 15-17) and Greco-Roman (July 19-20). There is a off-day on Thursday, July 18.

Only nine boys have won the coveted USA Wrestling Triple Crown on the Junior level since the program was created in 2007, earned by claiming folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman Junior National titles in the same year. There are only two athletes who have won two Junior Triple Crowns, Adam Coon of Michigan (2012-2013) and Tony Cassioppi of Illinois (2017-2018). There were no Junior Triple Crown winners in 2023.

There have been 25 different boys to win a 16U Triple Crown since the program began in 2003. The only two-time 16U Triple Crown winner was Taylor Massa of Michigan (2008-2009). There were two 16U Boys Triple Crown winners in 2023, Tyler Knaack of Iowa (152) and Dreshaun Ross of Iowa (195).

A Triple Crown program for Junior and 16U girls was launched two years ago, but there has not yet been a girl who won a Triple Crown to date.

Here is a quick peak at the stars who are included in the pre-registration at this time.

Women’s freestyle – Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14

2023 Junior National women’s freestyle champions who have pre-registered in the Junior Nationals include Heather Crull of Indiana (106, now at 105), Kaidance Gerg of Idaho (138, now at 125) and Eduarda Rodrigues of California (152, now at 155).

2023 Junior women’s freestyle runners-up who have pre-registered include Valarie Solorio of Pennsylvania (100), Harlee Hiller of Illinois (106, now at 115), Zao Estrada of South Carolina (112, now at 115), Calli Gilchrist of Connecticut (117, now at 120), Lexie Lopez of Colorado (122, now at 125), Sydney Perry of Illinois (144, now at 145) and Tirza Twoteeth of Montana (200, now 235)

2023 16U women’s freestyle champions who are wrestling in the Junior division this year include Mary Manis of Florida (106, now at 125), Sierra Chiesa of Pennsylvania (117, now at 125), Lynn Horn of Oklahoma (127, now 130), Isis France of Arizona (132, now 135), Morgan Lucio of Arizona (144, now at 140), Mya Bethel of Florida (152, now 155), Brooklyn Graham of Iowa (180, now 190) and Keliikki Nau Rarick of Utah (200, now 235).

The 2023 Junior women’s freestyle team champions were Illinois, followed by second-place California. Michigan was third, Pennsylvania fourth and Colorado fifth.

Another indication of the strength of the state teams are the results from the 2024 Junior Women’s National Duals in Tulsa, Okla. Pennsylvania was the team champion, with Missouri placing second. California finished third, Illinois took fourth and Michigan was fifth.

The only 2023 16U Nationals women’s freestyle champions who has pre-registered in the 16U Nationals is Emma Bacon of Pennsylvania (112, now at 124).

2023 16U freestyle women’s runners-up who have pre-registered in the 16U Nationals include Jaclyn Bouzakis of Pennsylvania (94, now at 100), Kayla Batres of Connecticut (106, now 112), Kaylyn Harrill of Nebraska (122, now 112), Jayci Shelton of Missouri (144, now 155), Brooke Huffman of Wisconsin (190, now 190) and Mia Cianega of Washington (200, now 190).

Pennsylvania was 2023 16U women’ freestyle team champions, with Michigan in second place. Missouri and Oklahoma were tied in third place. Arizona placed fifth.

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In 2024, USA Wrestling held a 16U Women’s National Duals for the first time, hosted in Westfield, Ind. Pennsylvania was the team champion, with Wisconsin in second place. California placed third, Ohio was fourth and Indiana finished fifth.

Men’s freestyle – Monday, July 15, Tuesday, July 16 and Wednesday, July 17

2023 Junior National men’s freestyle champions who have pre-registered in the Junior Nationals include Haakon Peterson of Wisconsin (106, now 126), Jax Forrest of Pennsylvania (126, now 132), Vince Bouzakis of Pennsylvania (152, now 157) and Koy Hopke of Wisconsin (285)

The 2023 Junior men’s freestyle men’s runner-up who have pre-registered are Kiyan Simon of Alabama (100, now 113), Aaron Seidel of Pennsylvania (113, now 126), Daniel Zepeda of California (138, now 144) and William Henckel of Connecticut (160, now 175),

2023 16U National men’s freestyle champions who are pre-registered in the Junior division are Jarrett Smith of Michigan (94, now 106), Grey Burnett of Ohio (106, now 113), Blue Stiffler of Georgia (138), Melvin Miller of Pennsylvania (145, now 150), Kyler Knaack of Iowa (152, now 157), Elijah Diakomihalis of New York (182, now 190), Dreshaun Ross of Iowa (195, now 215) and Jacob Levy of Georgia (285)

The 2023 Junior freestyle team champions were Pennsylvania, followed by runner-up Wisconsin. Oklahoma was third, California was fourth and Iowa finished fifth.

The 2024 Junior National Duals in freestyle in Tulsa went to Wisconsin, with Ohio in second place. Pennsylvania was third, Minnesota fourth and Illinois fifth.

2023 16U men’s freestyle champions who have pre-registered in the 16U Nationals include Brandon Bickerton of Ohio (88, now 113), Shamus Regan of Pennsylvania, who wrestled for Tennessee last year (100), Jayden James of New Jersey (132, now 150) and Aaron Stewart of Illinois (160, now 165).

2023 16U men’s freestyle men’s runners-up who have pre-registered in the 16U Nationals include Edward George of New Jersey (88, now 94), Turner Ross of Minnesota (94, now 100), Bruno Cassioppi of Illinois (106, now 126) and Alex Taylor of Ohio (220, now 215).

The 16U freestyle team champion in 2023 was Pennsylvania, with Illinois in second place. Iowa placed third, Ohio was fourth and California was fifth.

The men’s freestyle champions at the 2024 16U National Duals in Herriman, Utah was California, which beat Pennsylvania in the finals. Rounding out the top five were third-place Iowa, fourth-place Indiana and fifth-place Wisconsin.

Greco-Roman – Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20

2023 Junior National Greco-Roman champions who have pre-registered in the Junior Nationals include Caden Correll of Illinois (100, now 106) and Landon Drury of Colorado (138, now 144).

Runners-up in the 2023 Junior Greco-Roman Nationals who are registered for the Junior Nationals include Mason Brayfield of Missouri (100, now 113), Ezekiel Witt of Kansas (106, now 113), Kody Tanimoto of Texas (112, now 120), Ryker Graff of Iowa (120, now 132), Rhett Peak of Oklahoma (126), Cittadino Tuttle of Minnesota (195, now 215), Oscar Williams of Oklahoma (220, now 285) and Shilo Jones of Idaho (285).

2023 16U Greco-Roman National champions who are registered in the Junior Nationals this year are Caleb Noble of Illinois (100, now 113), Saxton Scott of Idaho (106, now 120), Devin Miller of Oklahoma (126), Wyatt Medlin of Illinois (132, now 144), Thomas Verrette of Oklahoma, who wrestled for Colorado last year (138) and Adonis Bonar II of Nebraska (182, now 190)

Idaho was the 2023 Junior Greco-Roman team champions, followed in the standings by runner-up Iowa, third-place Illinois, fourth-place California and fifth-place Oklahoma.

The 2024 Junior National Duals Greco-Roman champion was California, followed by runner-up Pennsylvania. Placing third was Illinois, with Idaho in fourth and Minnesota in fifth.

2023 16U National Greco-Roman champions who have pre-registered in the 16U Nationals include Loc Webber of Ohio (88, now 100), Hayden Schwab of Iowa (94, now 106), Will Detar of Pennsylvania (113, now 120) and Aaron Stewart of Illinois (160, now 165),

Runners-up in the 2023 16U Greco-Roman Nationals who is registered in the 16U Nationals include Vincent Demarco of Illinois (88, now 100), Austin Collins of Colorado (120, now 132) and David Calkins of California (195, now 190).  

The 16U Greco-Roman team champions in 2023 were Illinois, followed by Iowa in second place. Oklahoma was in third place, with Ohio and Pennsylvania tied for fourth place.

The results from the 2024 16U National Duals showed Iowa in first place, with California taking second place. Illinois was third, Utah fourth and Minnesota fifth.  

Click here for the complete 2024 USMC Junior/16U Nationals schedule

For the seventh year in a row, TheMat.com is announcing state team rosters prior to Fargo as they are received, to give fans a chance to see what star wrestlers plan to be in Fargo and what teams should be strong this time around. Check TheMat.com for daily updates.

For the third year in a row, there will be Beach Wrestling held in conjunction with the USMC Junior/16U Nationals. Two days of competition will be held at the Gastropub Volleyball Complex in Fargo. On Sunday, July 14, 16U and Junior Women’s Beach wrestling will begin at 3:00 p.m. On Thursday, July 18, 16U and Junior Boys Beach wrestling starts at 9:00 a.m.

The U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals and the 16U Nationals brings together hundreds of wrestling volunteers, including referees, pairing officials, coaches, state leaders and tournament operation workers, all who provide the opportunity for up to 8,000 athletes to pursue their dreams.

All of the matches on all of the mats from the 2024 U.S. Marine Corps Junior & 16U Nationals will be broadcast live on Flo Wrestling

USA Wrestling has created a Special Section which will have all of its coverage prior to and during the competition, with rosters, previews, event coverage, interview videos, photo galleries. Check it out on TheMat.com

SCHEDULE FOR 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS IN FARGO

Sunday, July 14 - Junior and 16U Women’s Freestyle Finals (side-by-side) at 6:00 p.m. CT

Wednesday, July 17 - Junior and 16U Men’s Freestyle Finals (side-by-side) at 5:30 p.m. CT

Saturday, July 20 -Junior and 16U Greco-Roman Finals (side-by-side) at 6:00 p.m. CT