For years, the tweeners who were too big for 74kg had to make the difficult decision to put on at least 20 pounds to bulk up to 84kg. Then came the introduction of 86kg, and the gap became even bigger. Thankfully though, there now exists a 79kg weight class.

That seems to be great news for America, with Kyle Dake, Alex Dieringer, Jon Reader, Zahid Valencia and Mark Hall all sliding up to this weight. That's 10 NCAA championships, plus Matt Brown makes it 11 national titles.

Dake is the obvious front runner, having already beaten Dieringer and Reader in the past. He's had three competitions at 79kg so far, outscoring opponents 53-0 at the World Clubs Cup in December, getting silver at the Yarygin in January, and then getting three shutout techs en route to a 4-0 record at the World Cup.

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Dieringer meanwhile has yet to lose a match at the new weight, going 5-0 to win gold at the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial and then teching his way through the Bill Farrell last month. His tricep carry is one of the most devastating moves right now amongst Americans.

Unfortunately, Jon Reader is hurt and won't be at the Open. However, he looked excellent in winning the Dave Schultz in November, teching his way through and securing a spot in next month's World Team Trials challenge tournament in Rochester, MN. Check out his match with Dake from the 2015 Olympic trials qualifier below.

Last year, there were four guys who still had college eligibility that placed top three at WTT and made the national team at their weight. That should continue again this year, with Mark Hall and Zahid Valencia being prime candidates. Each made the junior world finals last year, with Hall bringing home a title.

Valencia and Hall met three times in folkstyle over the past two years, with Valencia taking the last two. The Arizona State redshirt sophomore made the junior world team three years in a row, but is at a senior level weight more conducive for him. A voracious leg attacker, he could present problems for Ringer or Dake in the semis.

Few prospects have drawn as much hype as Mark Hall, and with his junior eligibility exhausted, he'll be living on the senior level for a while. It seems unlikely he'll have the same success with his counters and mixer stuff going up against grown men, but Hall has always been creative and adapted to his competition.