The United States is sending 17 young wrestlers to the UWW Schoolboy/Girl Pan-American Championships in Medellin, Colombia, on Oct. 7-9.

Men’s freestyle will be competed on Oct. 7, followed by women’s freestyle on Oct. 8 and Greco-Roman on Oct. 9.

The U.S. men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman teams consist of the same 10 wrestlers, competing in both styles.

Wisconsin’s Tyler Hannah, a 2016 USA Wrestling Triple Crown winner, leads the squad and will compete at 85 kg/187 lbs. In addition to his Triple Crown accomplishment, Hannah also won the 2016 Southern Plains Regional in freestyle and Greco.

Another Southern Plains double champion competing at Pan-Ams is Dominick Serrano of Colorado. Serrano also took first at the ASICS Kids Freestyle and Greco-Roman national tournaments in early July.

Colorado teammate Aaden Valdez will compete at 53 kg/116.5 lbs. Valdez was a runner-up in both styles at freestyle and Greco nationals as well as the Southern Plains Regional.

Team Oklahoma takes three wrestlers to Medellin in Christian Forbes (35 kg/77 lbs.), Carter Young (38 kg/83.5 lbs.) and Cougar Andersen (66 kg/145.2 lbs.).

Keegan Slyter of Kansas, a freestyle national champion and Greco-Roman runner-up, will compete at 47 kg/103.5 lbs. He also took home freestyle and Greco titles at the Southern Plains Regional.

Similar to Slyter, Brooks Empey of Wisconsin was a freestyle national champ and finished second in Greco in 2016. He is set to wrestle at 73 kg/160.5 lbs.

Also competing for the U.S. in men’s freestyle and Greco is Jesse Mendez of Indiana and Brandon O’Brien of Iowa.

Every member of the women’s freestyle team owns at least one title from the Body Bar Women’s Nationals.

Tristan Kelly of Colorado is a two-time Body Bar champion, going back-to-back in 2015 and 2016. Additionally, she won the USA Wrestling Girls Folkstyle National championship this year.

Wisconsin’s Kylie Welker also picked up Body Bar and Folkstyle national titles this year and is set to compete at 44 kg/96.8 lbs.

Camille Fournier of Texas (48 kg/105.5 lbs.) and Tiffani McNelis of Pennsylvania (57 kg/125.5 lbs.) each won Body Bar championships this year and produced runner-up finishes at the Girls Folkstyle National championship.

Sterling Dias of Nevada earned her Body Bar title in 2015. She will wrestle at 37 kg/81.5 lbs.

Rounding out the women’s team is Sage Mortimer of Utah, who will compete at 40 kg/88 lbs. and Zoe Gress of New York who will see competition at 52 kg/114.5 lbs.

Follow the action daily on TheMat.com and through USA Wrestling’s social media outlets.

UWW Schoolboy/Girl Pan-American Championships
At Medellin, Colombia, Oct. 7-9

U.S. freestyle and Greco-Roman roster
32 kg/70.5 lbs. – Brandon O’Brien, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
35 kg/77 lbs. – Christian Forbes, Tulsa, Oklahoma
38 kg/83.5 lbs. – Carter Young, Bixby, Oklahoma
42 kg/92.5 lbs. – Jesse Mendez, Crown Point, Indiana
47 kg/103.5 lbs. – Keegan Slyter, Paola, Kansas
53 kg/116.5 lbs. – Aaden Valdez, Pueblo, Colorado
59 kg/129.8 lbs. – Dominick Serrano, Greeley, Colorado
66 kg/145.2 lbs. – Cougar Andersen, Skiatook, Oklahoma
73 kg/160.5 lbs. – Brooks Empey, Stoughton, Wisconsin
85 kg/187 lbs. – Tyler Hannah, Genoa, Wisconsin
Coach: Bob Empey, Stoughton, Wisconsin
Coach: Tyler Caldwell, Stillwater, Oklahoma
Coach: Chris Young, Bixby, Oklahoma

U.S. women’s freestyle roster
37 kg/81.5 lbs. – Sterling Dias, Las Vegas, Nevada
40 kg/88 lbs. – Sage Mortimer, Mapleton, Utah
44 kg/96.8 lbs. – Kylie Welker, Franksville, Wisconsin
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Camille Fournier, Weatherford, Texas
52 kg/114.5 lbs. – Zoe Gress, Petersburg, New York
57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Tiffani McNelis, Stewartstown, Pennsylvania
62 kg/136.5 lbs. – Tristan Kelly, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Coach: Andrea Yamamoto, Richland, Washington
Coach: Katherine Fulp-Allen, Denver, Colorado
Coach: Craig LaMont, Mapleton, Utah

Event Schedule
Friday, Oct. 7
Men’s freestyle
Saturday, Oct. 8
Women’s freestyle

Sunday, Oct. 9
Greco-Roman

Keegan is in the Freestyle Finals! Represent buddy!

Team USA’s Schoolboy Greco-Roman team capped off an excellent run for the United States at the Pan-American Championships with four Greco champions and another team title.

Team USA scored 80 points, edging out Venezuela (72) and Colombia (71).

"It was a tremendous effort by our schoolboys today, coming off a successful freestyle day on Friday,” coach Bob Empey said. “They represented the American way with tough, in your face attacks. What a great lifetime memory the guys put together in welcoming back the Schoolboy Pan American Championships."

The same 10 wrestlers from the men’s freestyle tournament represented the U.S. in the Greco-Roman tournament.

Three Americans return with two gold medals each, including Brandon O’Brien (32 kg/70.5 lbs.), Keegan Slyter (47 kg/103.5 lbs.) and Tyler Hannah (85 kg/187 lbs.), who were crowned both freestyle and Greco-Roman Pan-American champions after perfect 6-0 weekends.

Mendez improved upon his bronze-medal finish from earlier in the weekend with a gold-medal performance at 42 kg/ 92.5 lbs. on Sunday.

Christian Forbes of Tulsa, Okla., earned his second silver medal of the weekend, taking second in the Greco tournament at 35 kg/77 lbs.

Carter Young, who was the freestyle champ and Outstanding Wrestler, produced a runner-up finish at 38 kg/83.5 lbs.

Aaden Valdez of Pueblo, Colo., moved up a weight to 59 kg/129.8 lbs., where he competed alongside U.S. teammate Dominick Serrano of Greeley, Colo.

Valdez finished second at the weight, while Serrano claimed the bronze.

A pair of Americans in Cougar Andersen of Oklahoma and Brooks Empey of Wisconsin took fifth at 66 kg/145.2 lbs. and 73 kg/160.5 lbs., respectively.

Overall, the United States brings home 22 medals between the three tournaments, including 12 gold, four silver and six bronze.


UWW Schoolboy/Girl Pan-American Championships
At Medellin, Colombia, Oct. 9

U.S. men's Greco-Roman results
32 kg/70.5 lbs. – Brandon O’Brien, Cedar Rapids, Iowa - GOLD
35 kg/77 lbs. – Christian Forbes, Tulsa, Oklahoma – SILVER
38 kg/83.5 lbs. – Carter Young, Bixby, Oklahoma – SILVER
42 kg/92.5 lbs. – Jesse Mendez, Crown Point, Indiana - GOLD
47 kg/103.5 lbs. – Keegan Slyter, Paola, Kansas - GOLD
53 kg/116.5 lbs. – Aaden Valdez, Pueblo, Colorado - SILVER
59 kg/129.8 lbs. – Dominick Serrano, Greeley, Colorado - BRONZE
66 kg/145.2 lbs. – Cougar Andersen, Skiatook, Oklahoma - FIFTH
73 kg/160.5 lbs. – Brooks Empey, Stoughton, Wisconsin - FIFTH
85 kg/187 lbs. – Tyler Hannah, Genoa, Wisconsin - GOLD