USMC Beach Wrestling Nationals return to Carolina Beach, N.C., May 19-20 featuring 10 age divisions

Men and Women's Beach Wrestling action from the 2022 Beach World Series in Katerini, Greece. Photos by Mihai Stetcu, United World Wrestling

The U.S. Marine Corps Beach Wrestling National Championships will return to Carolina Beach, N.C., on May 19-20. This will be the ninth time that Carolina Beach has hosted the U.S. Beach Nationals, the most of any city.

This is the annual national championships for Beach Wrestling, which is an associated style within USA Wrestling and United World Wrestling. The tournament will be once again be held on the popular public beach in Carolina Beach, right next to the boardwalk.

The 10 age divisions for the U.S. Beach Nationals are: 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, U17, Junior, U20, Senior and Masters. There is competition for both men and women, Weight classes will be determined using the blocked weight system for all divisions except for U17 Men and Women, U20 Men and Women and Senior Men and Women.

Register for U.S. Beach Nationals

This event serves as a qualifier for U.S. Senior athletes who wish to compete in the final three 2023 Beach World Series events in France (June 29-30), Romania (Sept. 9-10) and Turkey (October 14-15).

The Senior division is also part of the qualifying process for U.S. athletes seeking to compete at the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia, August 10-11. For information on making the U.S. team in Bali, check out the World Beach Games Athlete Selection Procedures.

The weight classes on the Senior level are:
Senior Men: 70 KG, 80 KG, 90 KG, +90 KG
Senior Women: 50 KG, 60 KG, 70 KG, +70 KG

The U.S. Beach Nationals is also a qualifier for age-group U.S. athletes seeking to wrestle at the 2023 U17 and U20 Beach World Championships, set for Constanta, Romania, September 7-8. Those seeking to compete on the U17 World Team should enter the U17 division at the Beach Nationals, and those seeking to compete at the U20 Beach World Championships should enter the U20 division at the Beach Nationals.

The weight classes on the U17 level are:
U17 Boys: 50 kg, 60 kg, 70 kg, 80 kg
U17 Girls: 40 kg, 50 kg, 60 kg, 70 kg

The weight classes on the U20 level are:
U20 Men: 70 kg, 80 kg, 90 kg, +90 kg
U20 Women: 50 kg, 60 kg, 70 kg, +70 kg

Note: Athletes may compete in more than one age-division if they meet the age eligibility requirements for each of the divisions entered.

This year’s U.S. Beach Nationals will be the first event of the 2023 U.S. Beach Tour of America, which will feature selected state- and local-level USA Wrestling sanctioned Beach competitions held across the nation. For more information, visit the Beach Tour of America website. 

Beach Wrestling is a fun but challenging style of the sport. Points are scored through takedowns from the feet, or step outs from the ring. It is a very fast-paced match. Beach Wrestling requires a variety of skills, and athletes who wrestle on the Beach are able to improve their wrestling in the other styles.

International athletes are welcome in all divisions except for Senior Men and Women, U17 Boys and Girls and U20 Men and Women.

There will be an optional weigh-in on Friday, May 19 for all divisions except Senior Men and Women, U17 Boys and Girls and U20 Men and Women at the Lazy Pirate from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Senior Men and Women, U17 Boys and Girls and U20 Men and Women must weigh-in on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. at the Carolina Beach Boardwalk Stage. Athletes in all other divisions can weigh in either at the optional Friday night weigh-in, or on Saturday morning at the Carolina Beach Boardwalk Stage.

For more information, please visit the U.S. Beach Nationals website

2023 U.S. MARINE CORPS BEACH WRESTLING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Carolina Beach, N.C., May 19-20

Event Schedule

Friday, May 19
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Optional registration and weigh-in for all divisions except Senior, U17 and U20 at the Lazy Pirate
8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Coach and competitor social at Lazy Pirate Sports Bar

Saturday, May 20
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Senior Men’s and Women’s, U17 Boys and Girls, U20 Boys and Girls weigh-in at Carolina Beach Boardwalk Stage
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Registration and weigh in for all other divisions at Carolina Beach Boardwalk Stage
11:00 a.m. – conclusion – Beach Wrestling Championships
6:00 p.m. – Post Tournament Social at 811 Harper Ave., Carolina Beach NC 28428

2022 U.S. Beach Nationals champions

Senior Men's champions
70 kg - Francis Morrissey (The Storm Wrestling Center)
80 kg - Trace Thome (Florida)
90 kg - Jabari Irons (Irons Elite Wrestling)
90+ kg - Mark Bonilla (Victory Wrestling-Central WA)

Senior Women's champions
50 kg - Laura White (Curby 3 Style Wrestling Club)
60 kg - Mia Macaluso (New York)
70 kg - Zoe Hussar (Ohio)
70+ kg - Isabeau Shalack (Illinois)

Junior champions
124-131 - Damon Landreth (BaynardTrained)
132-143 - Zeke Grabowski (Black Mountain Wrestling Club)
143-148 - Avery Buonocore (North Carolina)
153-159 - Ryder Mortensen (North Carolina)
160-167 - Owen Harshbarger (Virginia)
169-175 - Lars Michaelson (NWWC)
180-182 - Alex Ashley (BaynardTrained)
196-207 - Adam Hamada (Paulding County High School Wrestling)
259-263 - Casey Hardin (Lumberton High School Wrestling)

Junior Girls champions
120-130 - Josie Davis (Ohio)
120-131- Carmela Castaneda (Ohio)
153-157 - Zoe Hussar (Ohio)
178- Erin Kremer (Bombers Wrestling Club)

16U champions
88-105 - Cameron Sanchez (Crystal Coast Grapplers Wrestling Club)
119-128 - Jaylen Bethea (North Carolina)
130-137- Luke Connick (North Carolina)
139-144 - Kanon Harrington (North Carolina)
144-154 - JJ Johnson (North Carolina)
160-169 - Kane Foley (North Carolina)
174-191- Ayden Wilson (Ohio)
198-212- A J Pile (North Carolina)

14U champions
77-83 - Ryder Cohen (North Carolina)
86-90 - Lucas Angell (Defiant Wrestling)
95-104 - Jasper Croom (Florida)
105-114 - Grayson Lopez (North Carolina)
117-121- Graham Martin (North Carolina)
122-127 - Carson Worrick (Alleghany Wrestling Club)
138-147 - Lucas Conger (North Carolina)
153-167- Christopher Aparicio (North Carolina)
170-185 - Christopher Locklear (Unattached)

14U Girls champions
89-112 - Katie Stowe (Mitchell Youth Wrestling)

12U
70-81- Daniel Aparicio (North Carolina)
84-90 - Reese Davis (Maryland)
109-112- Jaxon Martin (Defiant Wrestling)
118-121 - Colton Hollobaugh (North Carolina)

8U
47-49 - Nicholas Johnson (Crystal Coast Grapplers Wrestling Club)
55-58 - Camden Doss (North Carolina)
64-66 - Zakkary Kulas (North Carolina)

Masters A
100-128- Chad Curry (North Carolina)

Masters B
73-79 - Daniel Deyoung (Chicago Wrestling Club)
127-156- Danta Moore (North Carolina)

Masters C
85-101 - Peter Gallagher (Unattached)
70-76- Darrin Farrow (Ohio)

Masters F
80- Peter Wirs (The Pennsylvania Wrestling Club Inc.)