UNIVERSITY PARK. ~Pa. At the 2023 Final X event in Newark, NJ, six Penn State wrestlers and members of the Olympic Regional Training Center qualified for the 2023 USA World Team. Five team members U.S. Men’s Freestyle World Cup practice in Happy Valley. Best-of-three matches determined the U.S. team for the 2023 Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia on September 16. The “True Third” matches determined the third member of the U.S. National Team in each weight class. The Penn State/Nittany Lion Wrestling Club Olympic Regional Training Facility had nine competitors in the Championship Final X, six of which qualified for Belgrade in September.
At 65 kg, Nick Lee faced Yianni Diakomihalis. Lee won the first round 7-6 and the second 8-8 with a late score of two points. The NLWC star made the 2023 USA World Team with points behind. Tyler Berger takes on Zain Retherford in the 70kg final series. Retherford beat Berger 11-2 in the first game and 4-3 in the second to win the series 2-0 and qualify for the 2023 USA World Team and a September trip to Belgrade. At 74kg, former Great Lion Jason Nolf took on NLWC teammate Kyle Dake in an all-Penn State/RTC/NLWC final. Dake won both runs. Nolf finishes second and is Team USA’s World Team alternate, while Dake wins the USA title with a 2-0 series triumph.
At 86 kg, current Nittany Lion Aaron Brooks took on Penn State legend David Taylor in another 100% Penn State/RTC/NLWC final. Taylor made the USA World Team beating Brooks 6-0, 5-4. US alternate Brooks finished second. J’Den Cox faced Penn State RTC/NLWC’s Kyle Snyder in the 97kg final. Without Cox, Snyder won by No Contest. Snyder joins Team USA’s World Team in Belgrade, Serbia as the sixth male freestyle wrestler for Penn State RTC/NLWC. Penn State RTC/NLWC’s Jennifer Page met Michaela Beck in the women’s 59kg freestyle final. Page won the series 2-0 with two technical falls 11-0.
Penn State RTC/NLWC’s Thomas Gilman took on Zane Richards in the best-of-three 57kg series. Gilman lost the best-of-three series 2-0 after losing 4-3 and 8-6. At 86 kg, current Nittany Lion Aaron Brooks took on Penn State legend David Taylor in another 100% Penn State/RTC/NLWC final. Taylor made the USA World Team beating Brooks 6-0, 5-4. US alternate Brooks finished second. J’Den Cox faced Penn State RTC/NLWC’s Kyle Snyder in the 97kg final. Without Cox, Snyder won by No Contest. Snyder joins Team USA’s World Team in Belgrade, Serbia as the sixth male freestyle wrestler for Penn State RTC/NLWC.
Penn State RTC/NLWC’s Thomas Gilman took on Zane Richards in the best-of-three 57kg series. Gilman lost the best-of-three series 2-0 after losing 4-3 and 8-6. Penn State RTC/NLWC’s Jennifer Page met Michaela Beck in the women’s 59kg freestyle final. Page won the series 2-0 with two technical falls 11-0. Vincenzo Joseph (SKWC) lost fourth place in a true third heat at 74kg to Keegan O’Toole. Penn State and the RTC/NLWC will field five of the American team’s male wrestlers for Belgrade. Six RTC/NLWC Final X winners, including Page on the women’s side, and three runners-up.
