Every wrestler circles the Olympic Team Trials as their main goal in their four-year cycle. Without winning at the trials, the wrestler can’t earn the sport’s ultimate prize: an Olympic gold medal. 

Now, the four-year wait is nearly over. Wrestlers will battle in Iowa City's Carver Hawkeye Arena on April 9 and 10 for the right to represent the U.S. at the Olympic Games in Rio. 

Note: Some of the trial winners will have to earn the spot for the U.S. at the Last Chance Qualifiers in Mongolia or Turkey later this spring.

The Field 85kg (187 lbs)

Jordan Holm (2015 USA World Team member)
Patrick Martinez (2015 USA World Team member)
Jon Anderson (Bill Farrell highest medalist)
Jacob Clark (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 1st)
Ben Provisor (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 2nd)
Lucas Sheridan (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 4th)
Kevin Radford Jr. (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 5th)
Mark Stenberg (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 6th)
Ryan Hope (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 7th)
Courtney Meyers (Dave Schultz highest medalist)
Michael Brant (Grand Prix of Paris medalist)
Timothy Bleau (Interservice champion)
Hayden Zillmer (Last Chance Qualifier Champion)

Rankings Used To Seed

1. Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2. Jon Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
3. Jacob Clark, Honolulu, Hawaii (Minnesota Storm)
4. Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC)
5. Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
6. Lucas Sheridan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP)
7. Mark Stenberg, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/NMU)
8. Ryan Hope, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/CKWC)

The Favorites

Jordan Holm has taken control of this weight class and earned the spot the past three years on the world team. He won internationally at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2015. He also qualified for the Olympic Games at 85kg by winning the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifier. Holm is the favorite, but Jon Anderson was a game opponent last year, and there is a past Olympian and world team members in the field.
Jon Anderson got lost in the match against Holm last year at the World Team Trials. He thought he had the criteria advantage, but he was actually trailing. You can bet he won’t make that mistake again. Anderson dropped an early match at U.S. Senior Nationals this December, and will have to battle to get to the best-of-three championship series.

The Dark Horses

Jacob Clark made the world team back in 2006 and 2010. Ten years after that first world team experience, he is a strong contender to make an Olympic Team. He won U.S. Senior Nationals in December defeating Lucas Sheridan in the semifinal before defeating 2012 Olympian Ben Provisor for the title.

Ben Provisor made the 2012 Olympic team down at the former weight class of 74kg. He just missed out on a world team spot in 2014 at 80kg before missing the 2015 process due to injury. He made the final at U.S. Senior Nationals before he was defeated by fellow veteran Jacob Clark. He will have to wrestle well to make the team since he's facing has a very daunting path to qualification.

Early Matches To Watch

Lucas Sheridan vs Jacob Clark, Quarterfinal

Sheridan upset Anderson at U.S. Senior Nationals before being defeated in the semifinals by Clark. This rematch should happen a round sooner if the seeds hold.

Ben Provisor vs Patrick Martinez, Quarterfinal

Just like the Sheridan vs. Clark matchup, this semifinal took place in Las Vegas. Provisor took the win in that match, but both guys have made world and Olympic teams in the past down at lower weights.

The Pick

Jordan Holm over Jacob Clark, two matches to zero

[polldaddy poll="9377791"]

The Field 98kg (216 lbs)

Caylor Williams (2015 USA World Team member)
Joe Rau (Grand Prix of Spain bronze medalist)
Jarod Trice (Bill Farrell highest medalist)
G'Angel Hancock (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 3rd)
Marcus Finau (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 4th)
Orry Elor (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 5th)
John Wechter (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 6th)
Jacob Kasper (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 7th)
Daniel Miller (Grand Prix Zagreb medalist)
Patrick Carey (Dave Schultz highest medalist)
John Lorenz (Last Chance Qualifier Champion)

Rankings Used To Seed

1. Joe Rau, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2. Caylor Williams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
3. G’Angelo Hancock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC)
4. John Wechter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
5. Orry Elor, Walnut Creek, Calif. (NYAC/NMU)
6. Marcus Finau, Ewa Beach, Hawaii (CSU Pueblo Wrestling RTC)
7. Jacob Kasper, Mansfield, Ohio (Roughhouse)
8. Daniel Miller, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps)

The Favorites

Joe Rau was a 2014 World Team member, but that was down at 80kg. Since then, he made the weight change and won two tournaments this season over Caylor Williams. He has the momentum coming into the trials this weekend.

Caylor Williams has made the world team for each of the past three years, and owned this weight class during the 2016 Olympic cycle; however, the emergence of Joe Rau up at 98kg has pushed Williams down to the No. 2 seed. He will have to turn the most recent matches against Rau to earn his spot on the team.

The Dark Horse

G’Angelo Hancock made the finals at the Dave Schultz Memorial in February before falling to Kevin Mejia of Honduras. He was also third at U.S. Senior nationals. These are marked improvements for the 18-year-old, whose rate of progression could make him a serious contender sooner rather than later.

Early Match To Watch

Marcus Finau vs G’Angelo Hancock, Quarterfinal

Hancock defeated Finau twice at U.S. Senior Nationals, but the quarterfinal match in Las Vegas was a tight bout. Hancock needs to stay focused here as he could be looking forward to a potential semifinal against Williams.

The Pick

Joe Rau over Caylor Williams, two matches to one

[polldaddy poll="9377792"]

The Field 130kg (287 lbs)

Robby Smith (2015 USA World Team member)
Adam Coon (Past Cadet or Junior World medalist from 2012-2014)
Sam Stoll (Past Cadet or Junior World medalist from 2012-2014)
Toby Erickson (Bill Farrell highest medalist)
Parker Betts (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 2nd)
Jacob Mitchell (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 3rd)
Matthew Lamb (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 4th)
Zach Merrill (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 5th)
Eric Fader (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 6th)
Jack Griggs (Olympic Trials Qualifier - 7th)
Tyrell Fortune (Dave Schultz highest medalist)
Donny Longendyke (Last Chance Qualifier Champion)

Rankings Used To Seed

1. Robby Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
2. Adam Coon, Fowlerville, Mich. (Cliff Keen WC)
3. Toby Erickson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
4. Jacob Mitchell, Portland, Ore. (CSU Pueblo Wrestling RTC)
5. Parker Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (Minnesota Storm),
6. Matthew Lamb, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP)
7. Donny Longendyke, Vadnais Heights, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
8. Zach Merrill, Bermuda Dunes, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)

The Favorite

Robby Smith has two fifth-place world finishes in this quadrennial. He was so close to a medal in Las Vegas, but couldn’t quite complete the comeback on Makhov of Russia. He has been an extremely dominant force domestically, and is considered a strong favorite.

The Dark Horses

Adam Coon has a junior medal in both Greco-Roman and freestyle. He took off parts of his folkstyle season at Michigan to focus on this run at the Olympic team. His resume includes recent championship titles at the Bill Farrell Memorial and US Senior Nationals. Taking out Robby Smith is the large task ahead of him.

Toby Erickson made the World Team Trials final last year against Robby Smith. He wrestled a good bout against Smith, but needs to find some offense. Coon defeated Erickson in the Bill Farrell final, so that Olympic Trials matchup will be a highly anticipated semifinal.

Early Matches To Watch

Robby Smith vs His Draw

Smith is exciting to watch work on a front head when he gets into the par terre position. Follow him wherever he goes.

The Pick

Robby Smith over Adam Coon, two matches to zero
[polldaddy poll="9377793"]

Olympic Team Trials Schedule

Saturday, April 9
Men’s freestyle (65 kg and 125 kg)
Women’s freestyle (58 kg, 63 kg and 69 kg)
Greco-Roman (59 kg, 66 kg, 85 kg and 98 kg)
8:00 a.m. – Doors open to Carver-Hawkeye Arena
9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Preliminaries through Challenge Tournament finals
5:00 p.m. – Doors open to Carver-Hawkeye Arena
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Best two of three Championship Series

Sunday, April 10
Men’s freestyle (57 kg, 74 kg, 86 kg, 97 kg)
Women’s freestyle (48 kg, 53 kg, 75 kg)
Greco-Roman (75 kg and 130 kg)
8:00 a.m. – Doors open to Carver-Hawkeye Arena
9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Preliminaries through Challenge Tournament finals
5:00 p.m. – Doors open to Carver-Hawkeye Arena
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Best two of three Championship Series.