VIA USAWrestling

2016 Olympian Frank Molinaro (Blacksburg, Va./Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC) has been named 2017 U.S. Open champion at 65 kg/143 lbs. in men's freestyle wrestling.

As such, Molinaro advances directly to the best-of-three Championship Series at the 2017 U.S. World Team Trials at his weight class, which will be held at the Bob Devaney Center in Lincoln, Neb. on June 10.

WATCH LIVE!  |  BRACKETS ON FLOARENA  |  SCHEDULE

Molinaro had placed second behind Jordan Oliver (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) in the U.S. Open finals in Las Vegas, Nev. in April. However, USA Wrestling has been made aware of an alleged anti-doping violation concerning Jordan Oliver.

Oliver tested positive for a stimulant at the U.S. Open. Oliver is exercising his rights to a full fair legal review process that is afforded to all athletes through USADA. USA Wrestling has faith that a fair and reasonable conclusion will be reached. Jordan Oliver requests that he be given time to complete his investigation as to what might have caused this positive test, and as a consequence, he will not be making any comments at this time.

According to United World Wrestling procedures, Oliver's result from the U.S. Open will be vacated. The UWW rule states that "in the case of positive doping control, the wrestler will be disqualified." In addition, the UWW rule also indicates that "wrestlers will move up in placing according to the ranking system."

USA Wrestling's World Team Trials World Team Trials procedures are based on "UWW rules and regulations as presently known and understood."

A specified by the UWW rules, Frank Molinaro moves up one place and is the U.S. Open champion at 65 kg. According to USA Wrestling's World Team Trials procedures, in the event that there is not a 2016 World medalist or 2016 Olympic medalist in the weight class, the U.S. Open champion advances directly to the Championship Series at the World Team Trials. Molinaro is now placed in the best-of-three Championship Series and all other U.S. Open placewinners up one placement. According to the World Team Trials procedures, the top seven athletes in each weight class from the U.S. Open qualify for the World Team Trials. Mario Mason (Morristown, N.J./Lehigh Valley WC), who had placed eighth at the 2017 U.S. Open, now moves up to seventh place at the U.S. Open and qualifies for the World Team Trials through the U.S. Open.

Mason also won the Last Chance World Team Trials Qualifier at this weight class in Minnesota in May. Since Mason now qualified for the World Team Trials at the U.S. Open, the runner-up from the Last Chance Qualifier earns a berth in the World Team Trials, who was Jaydin Eierman (Columbia, Mo./Missouri Wrestling Foundation). Eierman will compete in the World Team Trials at 65 kg/143 lbs.

UPDATE: Jordan Oliver recently sent the following tweet:

[tweet url="https://twitter.com/that_dude_JO/status/872975269669117952" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]