This weekend in Istanbul, a number of former wrestlers from American collegiate wrestling programs will compete in the men’s freestyle competition at the World Olympic Qualification.
Not just Zain Retherford and Spencer Lee, who will be competing for Team USA in Turkey, are being discussed. Searching through the entries, he discovered 18 wrestlers that are attempting to qualify for the Paris Games and have connections to American collegiate wrestling programs.
The men’s freestyle wrestlers from the competition who were also college wrestlers in the United States are listed below. Tell us if you missed someone!
57: Peter Hammer, Costa Rico – Oklahoma State University
Mr. Hammer wrestled at Oklahoma State University for two seasons before transferring to North Texas.
57: Guesseppe Rea, Ecuador – Wilkes
Rea, a native of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was also an NCAA DIII All-American at Wilkes, Pennsylvania.
57: Ibrahim Bunduka, Sierra Leone – George Mason
Bunduka attended high school in Alexandria, Virginia and was a two-time national qualifier for the Patriots.
65: Shannon Hanna, Bahamas – Campbell
Hanna grew up in Central Florida and was a two-time national qualifier for the Camels, but started her college career with the sadly closed Old Dominion University program.
65: Lachlan McNeil, Canada – North Carolina
McNeil is a two-time All-American who finished fourth and sixth at the NCAAs in 2023 and 2024 and is eligible for the Tar Heels. There are two years left. McNeil grew up in Toronto and graduated from Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School in eastern Pennsylvania.
65: Anthony Wesley, Cape Verde – Iowa
A graduate of Jesuit High School in Sacramento, Wesley was a Cyclone member for several years.
65: Josh Kramer, Ecuador – Arizona State
A native of Buckeye, Arizona, Kramer started two different seasons with the Sun Devils.
65: Kizhan Clarke, Germany – American/North Carolina
Born in Germany to an American father and a German mother, Clark attended American University for four years before transferring to North Carolina. , in his final year he reached the NCAAs. Final determination of eligibility.
65: Sahid Karugbo, Sierra Leone – George Mason
Like his Sierra Leone teammate Bunduka, Karugbo is a native of Alexandria, Virginia, and wrestled at Geroge Mason University, a 2017 NCAA qualifier.
74: Sonny Santiago, Puerto Rico – North Carolina
Santiago, a native of Downey, Calif., is a two-time starter and one-time NCAA qualifier for the Tar Heels and has one year of eligibility remaining.
74: Malik Amin, San Marino – Michigan
A native of Brighton, Michigan, Amin was a two-time NCAA qualifier at Ann Arbor University. He is a talented and experienced sports broadcaster and an international freestyle wrestler.
86: Ariston Bartley, American Samoa – Lyon
Bartley graduated from Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas and from King Kamehameha High School in Hawaii.
86: Noel Torres, Mexico – Newman
Torres graduated from Newman University in Wichita, Kan., as the school’s only NCAA champion in any sport when he won the DII national title in 2017. Newman grew up in Emporia, Kan., and trained in Oklahoma for several years.
97: Maxwell Lacy, Costa Rica – Wheeling
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Lacy played four years as a starter for the Wheeling Cardinals, graduating in 2017.
97: Ben Honis, Italy-Cornell
Ben Honis, an All-American since 2019, graduated from Cornell University and is playing his final year of NCAA eligibility in his hometown of Syracuse, New York. It was used by the Syracuse football team. University.
125: Aaron Johnson, Jamaica – Cumberlands
A native of Kennesaw, Georgia, Johnson was an All-American at NAIA Cumberland College.
