U23 Pan American Championships team set to compete in Queretaro, Mexico, April 10-12

The United States will send a strong team to compete in Greco-Roman, women’s freestyle and men’s freestyle at the U23 Pan American Championships in Queretaro, Mexico, April 10-12.

The U23 Pan American Championships will serve as the qualifying event for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, Paraguay, in August for the Olympic weights in all three styles. The top eight finishers will qualify their country at the weight for the Junior Pan American Games, which will be a U23 age-group tournament.

The event begins with Greco-Roman action on April 10. Seven athletes have experience competing at World Championship tournaments, Jakason Burks (60 kg), Jonathan Gurule (63 kg), Richard Fedalen (67 kg), Hunter Garvin (77 kg), Adrian Artsisheuskiy (82 kg), Michael Altomer (97 kg) and Keith Miley (130 kg).

Tyson Beauperthuy (87 kg), Gurule, Altomer and Miley all competed at the U23 Pan American Championships last year in Colombia, with Beauperthuy and Altomer earning silver medals, while Miley won gold.

Athletes that will be making their international debut in Mexico are Davian Guanajauto (55 kg) and Clay Radenz (72 kg).

In women’s freestyle, two past age-group World Team members Katerina Lange (62 kg) Brooklyn Hays (68 kg) are set to compete this weekend. Athletes with age-group Pan American Championships experience include Montana Delawder (55 kg) and Elleni Johnson (72 kg). Delawder secured silver at last year’s tournament, and Johnson won silver at the U20 Pan American Championships in 2022.  

At the 2025 U23 Women’s Nationals, Cecilia Williams (57 kg) earned her spot with a top finish. Ava Bayless (50 kg), Sydney Petzinger (53 kg), Bella Williams (59 kg), Nina Makem (65 kg) and Kalila Shrive (76 kg) finished second in their respective weight classes, and will represent Team USA in Queretaro.

Men’s freestyle competition is slated for the final day of action on April 12. Two-time age-group World Champion Luke Lilledahl is set to compete at 57 kg. Eight athletes, including Lilledahl, have age-group World Championships experience, John Wiley (70 kg), Garvin (74 kg), Levi Haines (79 kg), Jaxon Smith (86 kg), Connor Mirasola (92 kg), Massoma Endene (97 kg) and Lucas Stoddard (125 kg).

Garvin will be competing in both Greco-Roman and men’s freestyle at this tournament.

Zan Fugitt (61 kg) is a U17 Pan American gold medalist in freestyle, and a two-time age-group Pan American medalist in Greco-Roman. Wrestling in his first international tournament is CJ Composto (65 kg).

Competition begins at 10:45 a.m. in Queretaro, Mexico, on April 10, with Greco-Roman qualification rounds and repechage. On Friday, April 11, Women’s freestyle action gets underway at 10 a.m. Saturday sees men’s freestyle competition with a 10 a.m. start time. The finals are set for 5 p.m. each day.

This event will be streamed live on FloWrestling. Results, brackets and mat assignments for the U23 Pan American Championships will be on UWW Arena.

Thursday, April 10

10:45 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 63 kg, 67 kg, 72 kg, 77 kg, 82 kg, 87 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)

5 p.m. – Finals (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 63 kg, 67 kg, 72 kg, 77 kg, 82 kg, 87 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)

Friday, April 11

10 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage (WFS 50 kg, 53 kg, 55 kg, 57 kg, 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg)

5 p.m.  – Finals (WFS 50 kg, 53 kg, 55 kg, 57 kg, 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg)

Saturday, April 12

10 a.m. – Qualification rounds and repechage (MFS 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg, 79 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg)

5 p.m.  – Finals (MFS 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg, 79 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg)

55 kg – Davian Guanajuato (Eloy, Ariz./Southern Illinois RTC)

60 kg – Jakason Burks (Papillion, Neb./MWC Wrestling Academy)

63 kg – Jonathan Gurule (Peralta, N.M./NMU-National Training Center)

67 kg – Richard Fedalen (Laurel, Md./NYC RTC)

72 kg – Clay Radenz (Bismarck, N.D./Bison WC)

77 kg – Hunter Garvin (North Liberty, Iowa/California RTC)

82 kg – Adrian Artsisheuskiy (Brooklyn, N.Y./NYAC)

87 kg – Tyson Beauperthuy (Colorado Springs, Colo./Tiger WC)

97 kg – Michael Altomer (Stuyvesant, N.Y./Curby 3 Style WC)

130 kg – Keith Miley (Little Rock, Ark./Arkansas RTC)

Coach – Cheney Haight (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Coach – Troy Nickerson (Greeley, Colo.)

Personal Coach – Zac Dominguez (Papillion, Neb.)

Personal Coach – Joe Uccellini (Troy, N.Y.)

Personal Coach – Marty Hauck (Rolla, Mo.)

Personal Coach – Kendall Cross (Hoboken, N.J.)

Personal Coach – Michael Sebaaly (Denton, Neb.)

Personal Coach – Ahad Javansalehi (Saratoga, Calif.)

Personal Coach – Nick Catana (Middle Village, N.Y.)

50 kg – Ava Bayless (Greenville, Pa./Bad Karma WC)

53 kg – Sydney Petzinger (Parsippany, N.J./Cardinal WC)

55 kg – Montana Delawder (Gettysburg, Pa./Team Tornado WC)

57 kg – Cecilia Williams (Lansing, Mich./Michigan Revolution WC)

59 kg – Bella Williams (Edmond, Okla./ USOPTC Women's Resident Freestyle Program)

62 kg – Katerina Lange (Sherburn, Minn./NYAC)

65 kg – Nina Makem (Shakopee, Minn./Minnesota Storm)

68 kg – Brooklyn Hays (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC)

72 kg – Elleni Johnson (West Jordan, Utah/Laker WC)

76 kg – Kalila Shrive (Tracy, Calif./Menlo WC)

Coach – Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Coach – Paulina Biega (Shelton, Conn.)

Personal Coach – Matthew Williams (Lansing, Mich.)

Personal Coach – Tonya Verbeek (Iowa City, Iowa)

57 kg – Luke Lilledahl (Saint Charles, Mo./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

61 kg – Zan Fugitt (Nixa, Mo./Wisconsin RTC)

65 kg – CJ Composto (Westfield, N.J./Pennsylvania RTC)

70 kg – John Wiley (Mustang, Okla./Oklahoma RTC)

74 kg – Hunter Garvin (North Liberty, Iowa/California RTC)

79 kg – Levi Haines (Arendtsville, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

86 kg – Jaxon Smith (Acworth, Ga./DMV RTC)

92 kg – Connor Mirasola (Jackson, Wis./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

97 kg – Massoma Endene (Waverly, Iowa/Burg Training Center)

125 kg – Lucas Stoddard (Chardon, Ohio/West Point WC)

Coach – Joe Russell (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Coach – Tom Erikson (Durham, N.C.)

Personal Coach – Elard Coello (Waterloo, Iowa)

Personal Coach – Chris Bono (Waunakee, Wis.)

Personal Coach – Roger Reina (Chesterbrook, Pa.)

Personal Coach – Ethan Laird (Rockville, Md.)

Personal Coach – Pat Brucki (Orland Park, Ill.)

Personal Coach – Casey Cunningham (State College, Pa.)

Personal Coach – Cody Sanderson (State College, Pa.)

Personal Coach – Brian Picklo (Mustang, Okla.)

Medical (ATC) – Kyle Southall (Hoover, Ala.)

Medical (ATC) – Cora Ohnstad (Marquette, Mich.)

Medical (MD) – Merrick Wetzler (Cherry Hill, N.J.)

Official – Holly Hayes (Tempe, Ariz.)

Official – Ryan Green (Pottsville, Pa.)

Official – Maryia Ivanova (New Albany, Ohio)

Official – Paul Kruggel (Columbus, Ohio)