Every week we inch closer to the Senior World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, but before the big show in Central Asia, we’re keeping the summer season of Olympic wrestling going with the U20 World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Here’s what to expect from Team USA in the Big Brat (my own personal nickname for Bratislava, not used by anyone else to my knowledge, but maybe if we all start saying it, it will catch on. Just a thought, no pressure to do so).

Now let’s meet Team USA!

Hokies, Cowboys And More College Talent Lead Experienced Freestyle Squad

USA’s Men’s Freestyle Roster

57kg: Isaiah Cortez - Cornell freshman

61kg: Aaron Seidel - Virginia Tech sophomore 

65kg: Bo Bassett - Virginia Tech freshman

70kg: Landon Robideau - Oklahoma State sophomore

74kg: Jayden James - Penn State freshman

79kg: Ryan Burton - Virginia Tech redshirt freshman

86kg: Aeoden Sinclair - Missouri sophomore

92kg: Jimmy Mastny - Iowa State freshman

97kg: Michael Boyle - Ohio State commit, high school senior

125kg: Dreshaun Ross - Oklahoma State freshman

Everyone on the U20 men’s freestyle squad is a blue-chip recruit either headed to or already at a big-time college program.

Virginia Tech earned three spots on the ten-man roster, including uber-recruit Bo Bassett, as well as 2026 NCAA third-placer Aaron Seidel and 2026 U20 Pan-Am champ Ryan Burton. Bassett also has a U17 world gold and U20 world bronze to his name.

Oklahoma State can lay claim to two of the studs on this loaded lineup. Landon Robideau is already an NCAA champ, winning a 157-pound title as a true freshman last March, while Dreshaun Ross is #3 on the latest Class of 2026 High School Big Board.

Penn State joins in the fun at 74kg with its commit Jayden James, a 2025 U17 world champ looking to get back on the podium at a new age division.

Missouri has an All-American on the squad, as Aeoden Sinclair placed third last March. Sinclair also made a U17 world team in 2023.

Iowa State and Ohio State fans can see a preview of their future as 2026 U20 Pan-Am champs Jimmy Mastny and Michael Boyle enter the fray in the upper weights. A Cornell recruit in Isaiah Cortez, a three-style threat who won a 2024 U20 Greco-Roman silver medal, rounds out the roster.

Hawkeyes Abound In USA’s Tough Women’s Team

USA’s Women’s Freestyle Roster

50kg: Morgan Turner - uncommitted high school graduate
53kg: Taylor Whiting - Iowa freshman
55kg: Everest Leydecker - Iowa freshman
57kg: Karlee Brooks - Iowa junior
59kg: Caley Graber - McKendree freshman
62kg: Bella Williams - Iowa sophomore
65kg: Riley Hanrahan - Army WCAP
68kg: Taina Fernandez - uncommitted high school senior
72kg: Gretchen Donally - Colorado Mesa junior
76kg: Piper Fowler - Iowa State sophomore

The Iowa women’s team has only been around for three seasons, but the Hawkeyes are already establishing themselves as a dynasty. The Hawkeyes finished as runners-up last March at the inaugural NCAA women’s wrestling championship. The two years prior, the Hawkeyes won the NCWWC championship, the precursor to the NCAA Championship.

That victory train shows no signs of slowing down, as four current or future Hawkeyes won their U20 Team Trials brackets at Women’s Nationals last April. Incoming freshman Everest Leydecker leads the crew, as the Arizona native also made the 2026 senior world team and is a 2025 U20 world gold medalist. Bella Williams and Karlee Brooks also have age-level world team experience, while Taylor Whiting is on her first world team.

Caley Graber is representing not just the red, white and blue, but also the purple, white and gold of McKendree University, which upset Iowa and won the 2026 NCAA team title.

Morgan Turner and Taina Fernandez have five U17 world gold medals between them. Neither has made a decision regarding collegiate plans, though you can bet they’ll have plenty of options when they do.

Riley Hanrahan is taking the military route and represents the Army and its World Class Athlete Program, while Gretchen Donally and Piper Fowler complete the squad, repping Colorado Mesa and Iowa State, respectively. Fowler has the most international experience of the three, having made two previous U17 world teams.

Overseas Experience Will Be Key For American Greco Gang

USA’s Greco-Roman Roster
55kg: Ezekiel Witt - North Dakota State sophomore
60kg: Manuel Saldate - Oregon State sophomore
63kg: Nicholas Sorrow - Michigan State freshman
67kg: Amryn Nutter - TBD, formerly Northern Michigan
72kg: Eli Esguerra - Cornell commit
77kg: Leister Bowling IV - Iowa sophomore
82kg: Arvin Khosravy - NYU sophomore
87kg: Aidan Squier - TBD, formerly Northern Michigan
97kg: Cito Tuttle - Rochester CTC junior
130kg: Trayvn Boger - Northwestern freshman

Seven of the ten U20 Greco-Roman starters are at or will soon join NCAA D1 college programs. Two have spent time at the Olympic Training Center in Northern Michigan (which, incidentally, will be moving to a new, to-be-determined location). Manny Saldate, Nicholas Sorrow, Amryn Nutter, Leister Bowling, Arvin Khosravy and Trayvn Boger all came home from age-level Pan-Am Championships with medals.

With this much experience and Team USA’s rigorous overseas training camps coming to fruition, we may be looking at our most successful U20 Greco team yet.

How To Watch The U20 World Championships

You’re gonna want to have a steady supply of caffeinated beverages handy if you want to watch every match of this event, as Bratislava is six hours ahead of Eastern Time.

But you’ll be able to stream every match LIVE on FloWrestling. And no worries if you decide to catch some shut-eye during the wee hours of the night while Team USA is competing—we’ll also have archives of every match, so you can slumber securely knowing you’ll have wrestling to watch whenever you rise and shine.

*All times listed are Eastern

Sunday, August 16
4:00 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (GR 63-77-87-130 kg)
12:00 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 63-77-87-130 kg)

Monday, August 17
4:00 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (GR 55-67-72-97 kg), Repechage (GR 63-77-87-130 kg)
11:00 a.m. – Semifinals (GR 55-67-72-97 kg)
12:00 p.m. – Medal Matches (GR 63-77-87-130 kg)

Tuesday, August 18
4:00 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (GR 60-82 kg, WFS 50-53-72 kg), Repechage (GR 55-67-72-97 kg)
10:45 a.m. – Semifinals (GR 60-82 kg, WFS 50-53-72 kg)
12:00 p.m. – Medal Matches (GR 55-67-72-97 kg)

Wednesday, August 19
4:00 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (WFS 55-62-65-76 kg), Repechage (GR 60-82 kg, WFS 50-53-72 kg)
11:00 a.m. – Semifinals (WFS 55-62-65-76 kg)
12:00 p.m. – Medal Matches (GR 60-82 kg, WFS 50-53-72 kg)

Thursday, August 20
4:00 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (WFS 57-59-68 kg, MFS 61-86 kg), Repechage (WFS 55-62-65-76 kg)
10:45 a.m. – Semifinals (WFS 57-59-68 kg, MFS 61-86 kg)
12:00 p.m. – Medal Matches (WFS 55-62-65-76 kg)

Friday, August 21
4:00 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (MFS 57-65-79-92 kg), Repechage (WFS 57-59-68 kg, MFS 61-86 kg)
11:00 a.m. – Semifinals (MFS 57-65-79-92 kg)
12:00 p.m. – Medal Matches (WFS 57-59-68 kg, MFS 61-86 kg)

Saturday, August 22
4:00 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (MFS 70-74-97-125 kg), Repechage (MFS 57-65-79-92 kg)
11:00 a.m. – Semifinals (MFS 70-74-97-125 kg)
12:00 p.m. – Medal Matches (MFS 57-65-79-92 kg)

Sunday, August 23
10:15 a.m. – Repechage (MFS 70-74-97-125 kg)
12:00 p.m. – Medal Matches (MFS 70-74-97-125 kg)

Rewatch of the Week

Feeling nostalgic for the 2024 U20 Men’s Freestyle World Championships? Who wouldn’t be!

Satisfy those pangs of remembrance past with a rewatch of Bo Bassett’s MONSTER quarterfinal bout from two years ago!

Ranking of the Week: Class of 2026 High School Big Board

You’ll recognize the top three names on this list of recruits from the men’s freestyle starting squad. That’s no coincidence, as the best college wrestlers in the country are often the best freestyle wrestlers as well.

Check out this list of blue-chippers and their college commitments. There are enough hammers here to make Tim the Tool Man Taylor jealous!