Triple Crown chase begins at USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals in Cedar Falls, Iowa, this weekend

Photo: 2022 USA Wrestling Triple Crown award winner Mack Mauger of Idaho. (Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)

The USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals returns to the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, this weekend as the chase for the coveted USA Wrestling Triple Crown commences.

Serving as the capstone event to USA Wrestling’s folkstyle season, which includes the Folkstyle Tour of America Series and various tournaments at the state and local levels, the Folkstyle Nationals will offer competition in the 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, Junior and Masters divisions. 

The champions of all divisions except Masters pass stage one on the road to the USA Wrestling Triple Crown. The Triple Crown award is given to annually to athletes who earn USA Wrestling national titles in folkstyle, Greco-Roman and freestyle at their age-level in the same season. 

15 athletes brought home the USA Wrestling Triple Crown in 2022. Reigning 106-pound Junior Triple Crown winner Mack Mauger of Idaho, who is registered to compete at 113 pounds in Cedar Falls, is the lone Triple Crown title holder currently registered to run it back in 2023.

In addition to Mauger, two returning national champions have put their names in the mix. 2022 National High School Recruiting Showcase champion Jackzen Rairdon of Bear Cave Wrestling Club is signed up at 132 pounds in the Junior division. Similarly, 2022 High School Open champion Sam Sutton of Ironclad Wrestling Club has registered for the 138-pound Junior bracket. 

The Junior tournament will return to its prior form after pivoting last year to include two distinct competitions, the National High School Recruiting Showcase and High School Open. This change will consolidate the depth of the Junior weights and increase the challenge to win it all.

Custom awards will be presented to the top eight place winners in each weight class, with an Outstanding Wrestler award given per division. The Junior and 16U divisions will earn Future Olympian Ranking points. 

To provide more mat time for athletes with less experience, A Last Stand Tournament will be offered for any wrestler who goes 0-2 in the 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U divisions. 

Registration is still open for those seeking to participate in one of the toughest national events on the folkstyle calendar. Visit usawrestlingevents.com and sign up by Thursday, March 30 to secure your spot. There are currently over 1,300 athletes entered in the field. 

All the action in Cedar Falls will be available to watch live or on-demand on FloWrestling.com. FloWrestling offers a monthly subscription priced at $29.99 and an annual subscription for $150.00 to access its platform. 

Brackets and live updates will be available through Trackwrestling.com, no subscription required. 

2023 USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals

March 31 – April 2, UNI Dome, Cedar Falls, Iowa

Event Schedule*

Friday, March 31

10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Junior and 16U Session 1 (preliminaries, consolations)

4:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Junior and 16U Session 2 (preliminaries, quarterfinals, consolations)

Saturday, April 1

8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Junior and 16U Session 3 (semifinals, consolations, medal matches)

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

8U and 10U Session 1 (preliminaries, quarterfinals, consolations)

11 a.m. - conclusion

Junior and 16U Session 4 (finals)

2:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

12U and 14U Session 1 (preliminaries, quarterfinals, consolations)

8U and 10U Last Stand Tournament

Sunday, April 2

9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

8U, 10U, 12U, and 14U Session 2 (semifinals, medal matches, finals)

12U and 14U Last Stand Tournament

9 a.m. – conclusion

All masters divisions

*All times listed are CST. Schedule subject to change.

2022 USA Wrestling Triple Crown Winners

Mack Mauger, Idaho (Junior, 106 lbs.)

Aden Attao, Idaho (Junior, 285 lbs.)

Corey Brown, Maryland (14U, 71 lbs.)

Travis Cardenas, Arizona (14U, 119 lbs.)

Drake Morrison, Idaho (14U, 130 lbs.)

Aaron Stewart, Illinois (14U, 149 lbs.)

Evan Perez, Colorado (14U, 165 lbs.)

Reece Movahead, Virginia (12U, 82 lbs.)

Baron Rosas, Kansas (12U, 108 lbs.)

Tyrus Alley, Missouri (12U, 160 lbs.)

Jacob Graber, Minnesota (10U, 53 lbs.)

Korbin Kiessling, Maryland (10U, 56 lbs.)

Austin Armstrong, Idaho (10U, 67 lbs.)

TJ Richardson, Minnesota (10U, 77 lbs.)

Kody Doran, Missouri (10U, 120 lbs.)

2022 USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals Champions

National High School Recruiting Showcase Division

100 lbs. - Aidan Gruenenfelder (Pec-Argyle Youth Wrestling)

106 lbs. - Mack Mauger (Team Idaho Wrestling Club)

113 lbs. - Daniel Guanajuato (Arizona)

120 lbs. - Jackzen Rairdon (Bear Cave Wrestling Club)

126 lbs. - Cory Land (Ironclad Wrestling Club)

132 lbs. - Phoenix Blakely (Alber Athletics Wrestling Club)

138 lbs. - Emilio Ysaguirre Jr. (Arizona)

145 lbs. - Sloan Swan (The Empire Wrestling Club)

152 lbs. - Hunter Garvin (Big Game Wrestling Club)

160 lbs. - Daniel Magayna (Immortal Athletics WC)

170 lbs. - Riley Davis (Oregon)

182 lbs. - Tate Naaktgeboren (Big Game Wrestling Club)

195 lbs. - Wyatt Voelker (Big Game Wrestling Club)

220 lbs. - Jared Thiry (Immortal Athletics WC)

285 lbs. - Aden Attao (Team Idaho Wrestling Club)

High School Open Division

100 lbs. - Jayden Rinken (Immortal Athletics WC)

106 lbs. - Kolter Burton (Team Idaho Wrestling Club)

113 lbs. - Everest Sutton (Mat Sense Wrestling)

120 lbs. - Garret Rinken (Immortal Athletics WC)

126 lbs. - Robert Baylon (The Empire Wrestling Club)

132 lbs. - Sam Sutton (Ironclad Wrestling Club)

138 lbs. - Regino Raiz (The Empire Wrestling Club)

145 lbs. - Kaden Keiser (South Dakota)

152 lbs. - Israel Moreno (Sudden Victory Wrestling Academy)

160 lbs. - Austin Scott (Cyclones Wrestling & Fitness)

170 lbs. - Hunter Hobbs (Team Idaho Wrestling Club)

182 lbs. - Hunter Jones (Ironclad Wrestling Club)

195 lbs. - Robert Plympton (Oregon)

220 lbs. - Mark Marin III (California)

285 lbs.  - Paul Clark (Bulldog Premier Wrestling Club)

16U Division

88 lbs. - Wyatt Lees (Team Donahoe Wrestling Club)

94 lbs. - Domenic Munaretto (Toss Em Up Wrestling Academy)

100 lbs. - Alex Rozas (WWC Predator Wrestling)

106 lbs. - Chris Huerta (The Empire Wrestling Club)

113 lbs. - Kellen Wolbert (Askren Wrestling Academy Lake Country)

120 lbs. - Manuel Saldate (Gold Rush Wrestling)

126 lbs. - Cale Seaton (Big Game Wrestling Club)

132 lbs. - Alex Braun (MN Elite Wrestling Club)

138 lbs. - Kane Naaktgeboren (Big Game Wrestling Club)

145 lbs. - Leo Contino (The Empire Wrestling Club)

152 lbs. - Bradley Rodriguez-Little (MN Elite Wrestling Club)

160 lbs. - Anthony Rinehart (Contenders Wrestling Academy)

170 lbs. - Adrien Reyes (California)

182 lbs. - De`Alcapon Veazy (Legends of Gold)

195 lbs. - Melvin Whitehead (Gold Rush Wrestling)

220 lbs. - Kai Calcutt (Toss Em Up Wrestling Academy)

285 lbs. - Wyatt Schmitt (Illinois)

14U Division

71 lbs. - Corey Brown (HeadHunters Wrestling Club)

77 lbs. - Blake Nevils (Threestyle Wrestling of Oklahoma)

83 lbs. - Hayden Schwab (Immortal Athletics WC)

87 lbs. - Raidyn Pugsley (Team Idaho Wrestling Club)

92 lbs. - Mason Haines (Michigan)

97 lbs. - Zaiyahn Ornelas (Team Zapas Wrestling Club)

102 lbs. - Rocco Cassioppi (Hononegah Wrestling Club)

106 lbs. - Bruno Cassioppi (Hononegah Wrestling Club)

110 lbs. - Gavin Lewis (Peacock Wrestling Club LLC)

114 lbs. - Travis Cardenas (Grindhouse Wrestling Club)

119 lbs. - Brayden Boots (Pinnacle Wrestling Club)

125 lbs. - Drake Morrison (Team Idaho Wrestling Club)

130 lbs. - Brody Sendele (Hononegah Wrestling Club)

136 lbs. - Aaron Stewart (Toss Em Up Wrestling Academy)

149 lbs. - Steel Meyers (Best Trained Wrestling)

165 lbs. - Evan Perez (Bear Cave Wrestling Club)

187 lbs. - Cole Dunlavy (Legends of Gold)

250 lbs. - Mitchell Boeder (Wisconsin)

12U Division

58 lbs. - Knox Ayala (Sebolt Wrestling Academy)

63 lbs. - Johnathan Thompson (Sebolt Wrestling Academy)

67 lbs. - Kai McDonald (Sebolt Wrestling Academy)

70 lbs. - Ty Martin (Immortal Athletics WC)

74 lbs. - Chase Lawrence (Pinnacle Wrestling Club)

78 lbs. - Jaden Washington (Harvey Twisters)

82 lbs. - Reece Movahead (Virginia)

86 lbs. - Caden Woodall (Black Cat Wrestling Club)

92 lbs. - Isaiah Eide (Pinnacle Wrestling Club)

98 lbs. - Baron Rosas (Maize Wrestling Club)

108 lbs. - Easton Kammerud (Sarbacker Wrestling Academy)

117 lbs. - Duane Leslie (Team Idaho Wrestling Club)

135 lbs. - Kade Splinter (Team Nazar Training Center)

160 lbs. - Tyrus Alley (Lebanon Yellowjacket Wrestling)

10U Division

49 lbs. - Zayne Wieneke (Lawrence Elite Wrestling Club)

53 lbs. - Jacob Graber (Summit Wrestling Academy)

56 lbs. - Korbin Kiessling (Rampage Wrestling)

59 lbs. - Beckett Moyer (Mahaska Elite Wrestling Club)

63 lbs. - Austin Armstrong (Team Idaho Wrestling Club)

67 lbs. - Cayden Mango (Wentzville Wrestling Federation)

71 lbs. - Cael Vander Broek (Legends of Gold)

77 lbs. - Tj Richardson (Summit Wrestling Academy)

84 lbs. - Bryce Siem (Summit Wrestling Academy)

93 lbs. - Isaiah Engels (Summit Wrestling Academy)

105 lbs. - Rylan McKenney (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club)

120 lbs. - Kody Doran (Camdenton Wrestling Club)

8U Division

43 lbs. - Jett Cavazos (New Mexico)

45 lbs. - Landen Morris (Alabama)

49 lbs. - Louis Taylor (Sebolt Wrestling Academy)

53 lbs. - Kaiden Galindez (Michigan)

56 lbs. - Jack Brown (Team Donahoe Wrestling Club)

62 lbs. - Eli Armstrong (Team Idaho Wrestling Club)

70 lbs. - Everett Murtha (Moen Wrestling Academy)

85 lbs. - Stone Helmrichs (Back 2 Basics)

Masters A Division

78 kg/172 lbs. - Cedric Gibson (Sarbacker Wrestling Academy)

88 kg/194 lbs. - Cory Graham (Legends of Gold)

100 kg/220 lbs. - Logan Barrett (Minnesota)

Masters B Division

62 kg/137 lbs. - David Elson (East Ridge Wrestling)

70 kg/154 lbs. - Jordin Humphrey (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC))

78 kg/172 lbs. - Nathaniel Falconer (Texas)

88 kg/194 lbs. - Elijah Harshbarger (Gold Medal Grappling)

100 kg/220 lbs. - James Medeiros (California)

130 kg/287 lbs. - Michael Harbison (Edwardsville Wrestling Club)

Masters C Division

62 kg/137 lbs. - Jeffrey Uildriks (Michigan)

78 kg/172 lbs. - Karl Nadolsky Jr. (Michigan)

88 kg/194 lbs. - Rudy James (Gopher Wrestling Club - RTC)

100 kg/220 lbs. - Jeffery Estrada (ET Wrestling)

130 kg/287 lbs. - Travis Wiuff (Minnesota)

Masters D Division

70 kg/154 lbs. - Chad Otterness (Mat Rats Wrestling Club)

78 kg/172 lbs. - Charles Lee (Georgia)

88 kg/194 lbs. - Morgan Robertson (MWC Wrestling Academy)

100 kg/220 lbs. - Brian Pfeiffer (Waunakee Wrestling Club)

130 kg/287 lbs. - Michael Buckingham (New Jersey)

Masters E Division

70 kg/154 lbs. - David Gilson (Wisconsin)

78 kg/172 lbs. - Dennis McInerney (Texas)

88 kg/194 lbs. - James Miller (Texas)

Masters F Division

77 kg/170 lbs. - Steve Ferguson (Nebraska)