It’s been 48 years since the United States assembled an Olympic wrestling team that didn’t have some type of past, present or future Hawkeye on it. 

The torch-passing began in 1980 with Iowa greats Randy Lewis, Chuck Yagla and Chris Campbell, who made the American men’s freestyle squad that for the boycotted Moscow Olympics. 

Four years later, Lewis and fellow Hawkeyes Ed and Lou Banach and Barry Davis went to the Los Angeles Games and brought back three golds and a silver. 

Davis and Campbell made Olympic Teams again in 1988 and 1992, respectively. Tom Brands captured Olympic gold in 1996 in Atlanta. Terry Brands and Lincoln McIlravy claimed bronze medals in 2000. 

Joe Williams seized a spot on the 2004 squad and Doug Schwab, Mike Zadick and Steve Mocco wrestled in 2008 in Beijing. 

Though no Hawkeye wrestlers were on the mat in the London Games, former Iowa assistant Jared Frayer made the 2012 squad. And even though she wasn’t a Hawkeye yet, Iowa women’s wrestling coach Clarissa Chun claimed a bronze medal in London after making the Olympic Team in 2008 as well.  Additionally, Iowa women’s assistant Tonya Verbeek seized a silver that year as well for Canada after medaling in 2004 and 2008. 

In 2016, Daniel Dennis defeated Tony Ramos in an all-Iowa 57-kilogram battle in the Olympic Trials finals. 

And in 2021, former Hawkeye Thomas Gilman locked down the 57-kg spot on the American men’s freestyle spot and captured a bronze medal in Tokyo. 

Now there are 13 current or former Hawkeyes targeting a trip this summer to Paris. The next step is this weekend’s Olympic Trials in State College, Pa. 

Here’s a look at the current and former Hawkeyes in the field: 

Current Iowa Wrestlers 

WFS 50 kg — Ava Bayless — Challenge Tournament #8 seed 

WFS 50 kg — Nyla Valencia — Challenge Tournament #9 seed

WFS 50 kg — Emilie Gonzalez — Challenge Tournament #10 seed 

WFS 53 kg — Brianna Gonzalez — Challenge Tournament #7 seed 

WFS 68 kg — Reese Larramendy — Challenge Tournament #3 seed 

WFS 76 kg — Kylie Welker — Challenge Tournament #2 seed 

WFS 76 kg — Rose Cassioppi — Challenge Tournament #9 seed 

Former Iowa Wrestlers Who Still Train In Iowa City

MFS 57 kg — Spencer Lee — Challenge Tournament #4 seed 

MFS 74 kg — Alex Marinelli — Challenge Tournament #8 seed 

MFS 97 kg — Tony Cassioppi — Challenge Tournament #8 seed 

WFS 53 kg — Felicity Taylor — Challenge Tournament #6 seed

WFS 76 kg — Marlynne Deede — Challenge Tournament #7 seed

Former Iowa Wrestlers Who No Longer Train In Iowa City

MFS 57 kg — Thomas Gilman — Challenge Tournament #2 seed 

USA Wrestling Trials Brackets 

Mens Freestyle Preliminary Brackets at the 2024 Olympic Team Trials

Women's Freestyle Preliminary Brackets at the 2024 Olympic Team Trials

2024 Olympic Wrestling Qualifiers

For an updated list of everyone who has qualified for the 2024 Olympics, Click Here. 

How To Watch the 2024 Olympic Wrestling Trials

Live coverage of all four mats at the U.S Olympic Team Trials will be streamed on Peacock from April 19-20. 

Streaming will begin on Friday, April 19 with Session 1 at 10 a.m. ET

When are the US Olympic Trials?

The U.S Olympic Trials will be held over two days from April 19-20 in State College, Pennsylvania.

FloWrestling Archived Footage

Video footage from all events on FloWrestling will be archived and stored in a video library for FloWrestling subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscription.

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