Twenty athletes set to compete at the U15 Pan American Championships in San Salvador, El Salvador, June 13-16

The United States will send a talented group of young athletes to San Salvador, El Salvador, to compete at the U15 Pan American Championships from June 13-16, in Women’s freestyle, Men’s freestyle, Greco-Roman and Beach Wrestling.

In early April, the U15 Women’s freestyle Pan American Team was set at Women’s Nationals in Spokane, Washington. The event took place on April 14, and determined the team that will travel to San Salvador, El Salvador.

Athletes that made the team from last year included 2023 U15 Pan American Championships gold medalist Epenesa Elison of Sunkist Kids Monster Garage (50 kg) and two-time U15 Pan American Championships gold medalist Taina Fernandez of Cavalier WC (62 kg). Elison was successful at Women’s Nationals, winning her weight class in the U17 division and refusing to give up a single point to her opponents throughout the entire tournament. Fernandez’s tournament was similar, as she didn’t give up a point and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.

Fernandez is also slated to be the lone U.S. representative in Beach Wrestling on the final day of action in San Salvador, El Salvador.

At 42 kg, Isla Silva of Pennsylvania secured a spot on the U15 Pan American Championships team after defeating 2023 U15 Pan American gold medalist Gail Sullivan two matches to none in a close championship series.

Carolyn Geckler (54 kg) and Victoria Carbonaro (58 kg) secured spots on the U15 Pan American Championships team with top finishes at the U15 Nationals in Spokane. Geckler was strong in the tournament, defeating the returning champion two matches to none in the final series.

Lanaia Selig of Mat Demon WC, competing at 33 kg, secured her spot on the U15 Pan American Championships team by winning the U15 Nationals. Abbie Peterson of Big Game WC, who dominated the 36 kg bracket, also earned her place on the team with a pin and a technical fall in the championship series. At 39 kg, Olivia Hernandez of Mat Sense Wrestling of  secured a position on the U15 Pan American Championships team.

Paris Soria of Sunkist Kids Monster Garage at 46 kg and Ava Guilmette of Curby 3 Style WC at 66 kg complete the team of tough competitors heading to El Salvador.

This year, the U15 Nationals was the qualifying event for the U15 Pan American Championships, which are set for San Salvador, El Salvador, June 13-16. Athletes scored points in both the Greco-Roman and freestyle division, which was used to determine a wrestler in each weight to compete in both styles at the U15 Pan American Championships. For more information on the team selection process, please visit Paths to the Podium.

Keegan Bassett (41 kg) and Reece Movahed (52 kg) clinched their positions on the U15 Pan American team after winning both styles at the 2024 U.S. Open. Bassett earned gold at the 2023 U15 Pan American Championships. Mario Hutcherson (75 kg), last year’s champion at 68 kg, earned a spot on the team after placing first in freestyle and second in the Greco-Roman division.

2024 U15 Nationals Greco-Roman champion Justus Heeg of the Pinnacle WC claimed the team spot at 62 kg. Heeg placed second in freestyle, using his first place finish in Greco-Roman to secure the position on the U15 Pan American Team.

Two freestyle champions placed second in the U15 Greco-Roman Nationals, earning spots on the team in Evan Restivo of M2 Training Center (38 kg) and Camryn Howard of New York (68 kg).

Chase Karenbauer of Bad Karma WC, a 2023 U15 Pan American Championships gold medalist at 38 kg, captured the 44 kg spot on the team. Karenbauer became the U15 Nationals freestyle champion, building on a top finish in 2023 when he placed first at the U15 Greco-Roman Nationals.

Rounding out the talented team of ten is Mateo Gallegos of M2 Training Center at 48 kg, Thomas Banas of Illinois at 57 kg and Carson Langford of All-Phase Wrestling Club at 85 kg.

U.S. Men’s Freestyle and Greco-Roman

38 kg: Evan Restivo (State College, Pa./M2 Training Center)

41 kg: Keegan Bassett (Windber, Pa./Young Guns WC)

44 kg: Chase Karenbauer (Mercer, Pa./Bad Karma WC)

48 kg: Mateo Gallegos (Dubois, Pa./M2 Training Center)

52 kg: Reece Movahead (Fairfax, Va./American Dream WC)

57 kg: Thomas Banas (Channahon, Ill./Illinois)

62 kg: Justus Heeg (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Pinnacle WC)

68 kg: Camryn Howard (Bellport, N.Y./KD Training Center)

75 kg: Mario Hutcherson (Vandergrift, Pa./Young Guns WC)

85 kg: Carson Langford (Dallas, Ore./All-Phase WC)

Coach: Ray Bunker

Coach: Keith Sieracki

Personal Coach: William Bassett  

Personal Coach: Donny Reynolds

Personal Coach: William Short  

Personal Coach: Clinton Langford

Personal Coach: Khaled Dassen

Personal Coach: Maz Movahead

Personal Coach: Michael Restivo

U.S. Women’s Freestyle

33 kg: Lanaia Selig (Bonney Lake, Wash./Mat Demon WC)

36 kg: Abbie Peterson (Denver, Iowa/Big Game WC)

39 kg: Olivia Hernandez (Philomath, Ore./Mat Sense Wrestling)

42 kg: Isla Silva (Pittsburgh, Pa./Team Pennsylvania)

46 kg: Paris Soria (Riverside, Calif./Sunkist Kids Monster Garage)

50 kg: Epenesa Elison (Downey, Calif./Sunkist Kids Monster Garage)

54 kg: Carolyn Geckler (Massillon, Ohio)

58 kg: Victoria Carbonaro (Blairstown, N.J.)

62 kg: Taina Fernandez (Bowie, Md./Cavalier WC)

66 kg: Ava Guilmette (Halfmoon, N.Y./Curby 3 Style WC)

Coach: Jessica Medina

Coach: Tela Bacher

Personal Coach: James Selig

Personal Coach: Jeremie Peterson

Personal Coach: Jason Lara

Personal Coach: Mat Kocher

Personal Coach: Ruben Valencia

Personal Coach: Josh Elison (Elison) 

Personal Coach: Annette Geckler

Personal Coach: Ross Gitomer

Personal Coach: Kareem Fernandez

Personal Coach: James Sutton

Medical: Kyle Southall (ATC)

Official: Cody Hesser

Official: Lyon Conley

Beach Wrestling

65 kg: Taina Fernandez (Bowie, Md./Cavalier WC)

Coach: Kareem Fernandez 

*San Salvador is two hours behind the U.S. Eastern time zone

Thursday, 6/13

10 a.m. – Greco-Roman – Qualification Rounds and Repechage

5 p.m. – Greco-Roman – Finals

Friday, 6/14

10 a.m. – Women’s freestyle – Qualification Rounds and Repechage

5 p.m. – Women’s freestyle – Finals

Saturday, 6/15

10 a.m. – Men’s freestyle – Qualification Rounds and Repechage

5 p.m. – Men’s freestyle – Finals

Sunday, 6/16

10 a.m. – Beach Wrestling – Qualification Rounds and Repechage

1 p.m. – Beach Wrestling - Finals