The US Open was last week in Las Vegas, NV and our Hawkeyes competed hard. Our HWC guys competed in the Senior Freestyle division and a handful of undergrads scraping in the U20 Freestyle division. Austin DeSanto 61kg brought home silver, falling to Vito Arujau in the finals. On his way to the finals Austin beat former world team members Joe Colon and Seth Gross.

Alex Marinelli 79kg brought home fourth place, Spencer Lee 57kg took sixth, and Jayden Eierman 70kg snagged eighth in the senior division.

In the U20 division incoming freshman Gabe Arnold won the 79kg national title and three other Hawkeyes place in the top five. Bradley Hill was the runner-up at 125kg, while Jace Rhodes 61kg and Aiden Riggins 74kg both placed fifth. They all qualify for the U20 World Team Trials on June 3-4 in Geneva, Ohio.

DeSanto still has an opportunity to make his first world team. He will compete next at the World Team Trials (WTT) Mini Tournament held on May 20th in Colorado Springs, CO. If he wins that tournament he will have an opportunity to wrestle at Final X and avenge his loss to Arujau.

Tony Cassioppi is in the same citation as DeSanto – being a returning U23 World Bronze medalist, Cassioppi automatically qualified for the WTT Mini Tournament – that’s why you didn’t see him at the US Open this past weekend – If he wins this Mini Tournament he will face Gable Steveson in Newark, NY at USA Wrestling’s Final X.

Our Annual Banquet – 50 Years of Excellence is this Saturday and it’s going to be a blast!! Follow the link below to reserve one of our last seats!