May 2024 U.S. Men's Freestyle Wrestling Rankings
57 KG
#4 Spencer Lee beat #1 Zane Richards in the semifinals of the Olympic Trials challenge tournament to set up a highly anticipated matchup against 2021 world champion #2 Thomas Gilman. Lee came away victorious over Gilman in a two match series to take the U.S. Olympic berth and later qualified the United States for the Olympics at the World Olympic Games Qualifier in istanbul. Lee ascends three spots in the rankings to #1 while Gilman stays at #2 and Richards falls to #3. 2021 61 KG Senior world runner-up Daton Fix returns to the 57 KG rankings at #4 for beating #5 Nick Suriano in the challenge tournament quarterfinals. Marcus Blaze debuts in the US rankings at #6 for taking third at the U.S. Olympic trials with victories over #7 Jax Forrest and #8 Nico Megaludis. #3 Zane Richards, #4 Daton Fix and #5 Nick Suriano failed to place at Olympic Trials as they injury defaulted out after their respective championship bracket matches.
65 KG
2023 70 KG world champion Zain Retherford won the U.S. Olympic Trials over 2023 65 KG world team member #1 Nick Lee. Retherford would later qualify the U.S. for the Olympics by taking true third at the World Olympic Games Qualifier. #2 Joey McKenna took third at the U.S. Olympic Trials over 2024 141LB NCAA Champion Jesse Mendez. Jesse Mendez debuts in the US rankings at #4 for beating #3 Yianni Diakomihalis and splitting matches with #2 Joey McKenna at Olympic Trials. The reason Mendez cannot be higher is due to his loss to McKenna in the third place match of trials. Seth Gross debuts in the 65 KG rankings at #9 for beating former 5th ranked Kaleb Larkin in repechage, which causes Larkin to fall five spots to #10. Nahshon Garrett debuts in the 65 KG rankings at #8 for beating #9 Seth Gross in repechage.
74 KG
#1 Kyle Dake won the U.S. Olympic Trials over #3 Jason Nolf with Mitchell Mesenbrink taking bronze. #3 Jason Nolf moves up one spot to #2 for beating #2 Jordan Burroughs in the challenge tournament finals. #4 Vincenzo Joseph, #7 Alex Marinelli, and #8 Tyler Berger have been removed from the rankings due to retiring. Olympic Trials bronze medalist Mitchell Mesenbrink debuts in the 74 KG rankings at #4 for beating #5 Jarret Jacques, #6 Quincy Monday, and #9 Ladarion Lockett to take bronze at Trials. #5 Jarret Jacques ascends four spots from #9 for beating former #4 Vincenzo Joseph and #6 Quincy Monday to make the semifinals of the challenge tournament finals. With the removal of the trio of Joseph, Marinelli, and Berger, 2024 157 LB NCAA champion Levi Haines and 2023 71 KG Cadet world champion Ladarion Lockett were able to join the rankings due to their absence at #10 and #9 respectively.
86 KG
#2 Aaron Brooks beat #1 David Taylor in two matches to win the U.S. Olympic Trials with #4 Trent Hidlay taking bronze. #2 Aaron Brooks moves up one spot to #1 for beating #1 David Taylor. 2023 92 KG Senior World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia returns to the 86 KG rankings at #3 for beating Chance Marsteller who beat eventual bronze medalist #4 Trent Hidlay in the quarterfinals of the challenge tournament. Marsteller is not above Hidlay because of his repechage loss to #5 Alex Dieringer in repechage. Marsteller debuts in the 86 KG rankings at #6 and has international victories over 2024 OIympic Qualifier athletes #7 (INT) Osman Nurmagomedov (AZE) and Vladimeri Gamkrelidze (GEO). #6 Mark Hall retired from competition and has been removed from the rankings.
97 KG
#1 Kyle Snyder won the U.S. Olympic Trials over #3 Isaac Trumble with Kollin Moore taking true 2nd over Nathan Jackson and Nathan Jackson taking third over #9 Eric Schultz. #3 Isaac Trumble moves up to #2 for beating #3 Kollin Moore in the challenge tournament finals after Moore had upset #2 J’den Cox. Cox has been removed from the rankings due to retiring from competition. #9 Eric Schultz moves up four spots to #5 for beating #4 Michael Macchiavello and #9 Anthony Cassioppi.
125 KG
#1 Mason Parris won Olympic Trials over 2022 U.S. World rep Hayden Zillmer with #2 Nick Gwiazdowski taking true 2nd over #3 Dom Bradley and #3 Dom Bradley taking third over Greg Kerkvliet. Hayden Zillmer returns to the rankings at #2 for wins over #3 Nick Gwiazdowski and Dom Bradley to make the Trials finals against #1 Mason Parris. Greg Kerkvliet debuts in the rankings at #5 for beating #6 Wyatt Hendrickson in repechage. #3 Dom Bradley has been removed from the rankings due to retiring from competition. Trent Hillger joins the rankings at #7 for beating #8 Jaron Smith who joins the rankings for beating 9th ranked Gary Traub in his opening match at Olympic Trials. Traub notched a ranked win at Trials over #10 Demetrius Thomas.
Pound for Pound
#11 Aaron Brooks moves up nine spots to #2 for beating #2 David Taylor in the 86 KG Olympic Trials finals match. #20 Jason Nolf moves up fourteen spots to #6 for beating #5 Jordan Burroughs in the 74 KG US Olympic Trials challenge tournament finals. #4 Chance Marsteller drops fourteen spots to #18 for losing to #15 Zahid Valencia at 86 KG US Olympic Trials. #21 Trent Hidlay gets bumped up five spots to #16 for beating #17 Alex Dieringer who beat #18 Chance Marsteller in repechage after Marsteller had beaten Hidlay in the challenge tournament quarterfinals.
Jesse Mendez debuts in the rankings at #13 for beating #14 Yianni Diakomihalis and splitting matches with #12 Joey McKenna at the 65 KG US Olympic Trials. #25 Spencer Lee moves up sixteen spots to #9 in the rankings for winning the 57 KG US Olympic Trials. Additions to the rankings are 2022 61 KG runner-up Daton Fix at #21, 97 KG Trials runner-up Isaac Trumble at #22, 97 KG Trials true 2nd Kollin Moore at #23, 125 KG Trials runner-up Hayden Zillmer at #24, 125 KG Trials True 2nd Nick Gwiazdowski at #25.