Spencer Lee, Thomas Gilman, Kyrie Welker and more vie for opportunity in Paris
Hawkeye wrestlers Felicity Taylor and Eva Bayless warm up with other teammates before the challenge portion of the U.S. Olympic Trials on Friday, April 19, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Vanessa Miller, The Gazette)
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY — Over the next two days, 18 of the nation's best wrestlers will compete for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team this summer in Paris. That includes 14 people who identify as Hawkeyes in some way, past, present or professionally.
The six men's freestyle spots include three-time NCAA champion Spencer Lee and four-time Big Ten champion Alex Marinelli, both of whom will end their University of Iowa wrestling careers in 2023. Thomas Gilman competed for the Hawkeyes from 2013 to 2017 and was a four-time world-level medalist. And Tony Cassioppi, who was an All-American four times from 2018 to 2023.
Hawkeye wrestlers Felicity Taylor and Eva Bayless warm up with other teammates before the challenge portion of the U.S. Olympic Trials on Friday, April 19, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Vanessa Miller, The Gazette)
Lee, who has been eyeing the Olympics for the past 10 years, has made a major transition into freestyle and has recently competed in the Bill Farrell Memorial Tournament in November, the Senior Nationals in December and the Pan American Championships earlier this year. He has won a podium.
On the women's side, University of Iowa sophomore Kylie Welker, the 2023 U20 Pan American Champion and 2024 National Champion, is part of the nine Hawkeyes competing in the trials, and two of her teammates, viz. He found himself in the same slot as 2024 and 2024 senior Marlin Deed. national champion and freshman Rose Cassioppi;
Brandon Marshall warms up during practice at Big Game Wrestling on Thursday, April 11, 2024 in North Liberty, Iowa. Marshall, an orthopedic surgery resident at the University of Iowa, qualified for the Olympic trials in Greco-Roman wrestling. (Nick Rollman/The Gazette)
There are only six Olympic weight classes, as opposed to 10 in college, so like national champions, their teammates are in many weight classes. The lightest 50K bracket includes Emily Gonzalez of the Hawkeyes, who won the 2024 national championship at 101 weight. Eva Bayless won the United States Championship at the age of 109. and Nyla Valencia, a two-time runner-up at the U20 National Championships and her recent win at her last chance to qualify for the Trials.
Fifth-year student Felicity Taylor, who won the national title with 116 points, and Brianna Gonzalez, who placed second behind her, both reached 53K points. Gonzalez won the U20 national championship last weekend, earning him a spot on the world team along with Hawkeye sophomore Reece Larramendi, who won the U20 national championship and the collegiate national championship at 143.
Several former members of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club compete in both the women's and men's brackets. And in Greco's style, UI resident Brandon Marshall, who just completed a six-year hiatus, qualified for a trial at a recent Last Chance Tournament in Virginia.
All athletes made weight on Friday morning and refueled two hours before competition began at 10 a.m. Eastern and 9 a.m. Central.
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How to watch
NBCU will host the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials in prime time with more than 60 hours of live coverage from Friday, April 19th through Saturday, April 20th from Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pennsylvania. will be broadcast live on. on USA Network and Peacock, according to USA Wrestling.
Friday, April 19th:
Session I: 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Peacock/TVE
Session II: 6:30pm to 10pm on Peacock/TVE
Saturday, April 20th:
Session III: 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Peacock/TVE
Finals: 6:30 to 10 p.m. on USA Network/Peacock
For more information, please visit themat.com.
Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.
Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com
