Spencer Lee (left), Kennedy Blades (center) and Dalton Roberts (right) are set to compete at the 2025 Zagreb Open in Zagreb, Croatia.

USAWInternationalWomenGreco-Roman

Strong U.S. Squad ready to compete at Zagreb Open UWW Ranking Event in Croatia, Feb. 5-9

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by Savannah Asmann, USA Wrestling

A large, skilled group in all three Olympic disciplines will travel to Zagreb, Croatia, to represent the United States at the Zagreb Open, the first United World Wrestling Senior Ranking Tournament of the new year.

The tournament will be held at the Arena Zagreb, and begins on February 5. The order of competition begins with men’s freestyle, followed by women’s freestyle and ending with Greco-Roman competition. The full schedule for the event is below, and the Zagreb Open will be broadcast live in the United States on FloWrestling.

The U.S. team includes a number of past World and Olympic medalists, along with a group of other Olympic and World Team members.

In men’s freestyle, Olympic and three-time World champion Kyle Snyder is set to compete at 97 kg. Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee and Olympic bronze medalist Aaron Brooks are also slated to compete in Zagreb, with Lee at 57 kg and Brooks jumping to 92 kg. Senior World silver medalist and 2024 Senior World Team member James Green joins the group at 70 kg, as well as 2023 Senior World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia.  

In women’s freestyle, Olympic silver medalist and three-time age-group World medalist Kennedy Blades will wrestle at 68 kg. Senior World champion Jacarra Winchester enters at 55 kg, and 2024 Senior World Team member Areana Villaescusa joins Winchester at the same weight. Yelena Makoyed, a 2024 U23 World Champion, is slated to wrestle at 76 kg in Croatia.

The Greco-Roman delegation features Olympian Ellis Coleman at 63 kg. Olympians Ildar Hafizov and Alejandro Sancho are also competing in the event. Both Army WCAP athletes, Hafizov will compete at 63 kg and Sancho will compete at 67 kg. Olympic Team Trials champion Dalton Roberts is entered at 60 kg. 2024 Senior World Team members Brady Koontz and Benjamin Peak are set for action in Zagreb, with Koontz at 55 kg and Peak at 72 kg. World Team members in the group include Jesse Porter at 82 kg and Spencer Woods at 87 kg.

The 42-athlete U.S. delegation will be among the largest teams in the tournament, which will feature star wrestlers from all around the world. View the UWW preliminary entry list for the 2025 Zagreb Open here.

Ranking Series events are part of the process which determine seeds at the Olympic Games and World Championships, as well as year-end awards given by United World Wrestling.

2025 Zagreb Open

At Zagreb, Croatia, February 5-9, 2025

Event Schedule

*all times listed local to Zagreb, Croatia, which is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time

Wednesday, February 5

10:30 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (MFS 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg, 86kg)

12:30 p.m. – Semifinal Rounds (MFS 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg, 86kg)

1:30 p.m. – Repechage (MFS 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg, 86kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals (MFS 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg, 86kg)

Thursday, February 6

10:30 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (MFS 79 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg, WFS 50 kg, 55 kg)

12:30 p.m. – Semifinal Rounds (MFS 79 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg, WFS 50 kg, 55 kg)

1:30 p.m. – Repechage (MFS 79 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg, WFS 50 kg, 55 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals (MFS 79 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg, WFS 50 kg, 55 kg)

Friday, February 7

10:30 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (WFS 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, GR 63 kg, 67 kg)

12:30 p.m. – Semifinal Rounds (WFS 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, GR 63 kg, 67 kg)

1:30 p.m. – Repechage (WFS 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, GR 63 kg, 67 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals (WFS 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, GR 63 kg, 67 kg)

Saturday, February 8

10:30 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg, GR 77 kg, 87 kg)

12:30 p.m. – Semifinal Rounds (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg, GR 77 kg, 87 kg)

1:30 p.m. – Repechage (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg, GR 77 kg, 87 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg, GR 77 kg, 87 kg)

Sunday, February 9

10:00 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 72 kg 82 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)

12:30 p.m. – Semifinal Rounds (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 72 kg 82 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)

1:30 p.m. – Repechage (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 72 kg 82 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 72 kg 82 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)

U.S. Men’s freestyle roster

57 kg – Spencer Lee (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC/Titan Mercury WC)

57 kg – Daniel DeShazer (Wichita, Kan./Minnesota RTC)

57 kg – Brandon Courtney (Avondale, Ariz./Atreus WC/NYAC)

61 kg – Nahshon Garrett (Bethlehem, Pa./Lehigh Valley WC/Titan Mercury WC)

61 kg – Michael McGee (Bolingbrook, Ill./Atreus WC/NYAC)

65 kg – Joey McKenna (Towaco, N.J./Penn RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

65 kg – Evan Henderson (Allentown, Pa./Lehigh Valley WC/Titan Mercury WC)

70 kg – James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Nebraska Wrestling TC/Titan Mercury WC)

70 kg – Jarrett Jacques (Columbia, Mo./Tiger Style WC)

70 kg – Alec Pantaleo (Canton, Mich./Cliff Keen WC/Titan Mercury WC)

74 kg – David Carr (Ames, Iowa/Cyclone RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

79 kg – Evan Wick (San Gabriel, Calif./Titan Mercury WC)

79 kg – Rocco Welsh (Fredericktown, Pa./Ohio RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

86 kg – Zahid Valencia (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

86 kg – Trent Hidlay (Raleigh, N.C./Wolfpack WC/Titan Mercury WC)

86 kg – Nate Jackson (Princeton, N.J./Princeton WC/New Jersey RTC)

92 kg – Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

92 kg – Michael Macchiavello (Northampton, Pa./Lehigh Valley WC/Titan Mercury WC)

97 kg – Kyle Snyder (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

97 kg – Jay Aiello (Centreville, Va./Penn RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

125 kg – Mason Parris (Lawrenceburg, Ind./Cliff Keen WC/Titan Mercury WC)

125 kg – Hayden Zillmer (Crosby, Minn./Minnesota RTC)

125 kg – Trent Hillger (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota RTC)

U.S. Women’s freestyle roster

55 kg – Areana Villaescusa (Fountain, Colo./Army WCAP

55 kg – Jacarra Winchester (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC)

59 kg – Sofia Macaluso (Otisville, N.Y./West Point WC)

59 kg – Michaela Beck (New York, N.Y./Titan Mercury WC)

62 kg – Adaugo Nwachukwu (Fountain, Colo./Army WCAP)

68 kg – Kennedy Blades (Chicago, Ill./Izzy Style Wrestling/Titan Mercury WC)

72 kg – Skylar Grote (Newton, N.J./Titan Mercury WC)

76 kg – Yelena Makoyed (Orangevale, Calif./Titan Mercury WC)

U.S. Greco-Roman Roster

55 kg – Brady Koontz (Dubuque, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC)

60 kg – Dalton Roberts (Fountain, Colo./Army WCAP)

60 kg – Max Black (Castle Rock, Colo./NYAC/NMU National Training Center)

63 kg – Otto Black (Parker, Colo./NYAC)

63 kg – IIdar Hafizov (Colorado Springs, Colo./Army WCAP)

63 kg – Ellis Coleman (Fountain, Colo./Army WCAP)

67 kg – Alejandro Sancho (Colorado Springs, Colo./Army WCAP)

72 kg – Benjamin Peak (Elkhorn, Wis./Combat WC School of Wrestling)

82 kg – Jesse Porter (Ballston Lake, N.Y./NYAC)

87 kg – Spencer Woods (Colorado Springs, Colo./Army WCAP)

130 kg – Denzel Freeman (Richlands, N.C.)

U.S. Support Staff

Coach – Bill Zadick (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Coach – Joe Russell (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Coach – Jake Varner (Port Matilda, Pa./Nittany Lion WC)

Coach – Zo El Ouarraque (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy RTC)

Coach – Alex Dieringer (Ann Arbor, Mich./Cliff Keen WC)

Coach – Troy Steiner (Maple Grove, Minn./Minnesota RTC)

Coach – Jamill Kelly (Durham, N.C./Wolfpack RTC)

Coach – John Azevedo (Templeton, Calif./Titan Mercury WC)  

Coach – Brandon Slay (Media, Pa./Penn RTC/Titan Mercury WC)  

Coach – Kerry McCoy (Coopersburg, Pa./Lehigh Valley WC/Titan Mercury WC)

Coach – Dan Dennis (Kalona, Iowa/Hawkeye WC/Titan Mercury WC)

Coach – Nate Carr Sr. (Ames, Iowa/Cyclone RTC)

Coach – Kollin Moore (Burbank, Ohia/Ohio RTC)

Coach – Terry Steiner (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Coach – Bruce Robinson (Fort Carson, Colo.)

Coach – Izzy Martinez (Sugar Grove, Ill.)

Coach – Herb House (Castle Rock, Colo.)

Coach – Spenser Mango (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Coach – Joe Warren (Monument, Colo.)

ATC – Kyle Eckert (Fort Carson, Colo.)

ATC – Joanna Entz (Jersey Shore, Pa.)

MD – Todd Nasca (Dripping Springs, Texas)

Psych – Mike Clark (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Official – Joshua Grube (Daytona Beach, Fla.)

Team Leader – Cody Bickley (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Men’s freestyle Chaplain – Jose Campo (Poway, Calif.)

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