ILLINI NEWS: Zane, the Brawlnagels, TĪNĒ ILLINI, Pucino & More!
ZANE RICHARDS
The folks at USA Wrestling posted an article about the wrestlers who have challenged other wrestlers for the right to represent America at the Pan Am Olympic Qualifier. Nobody challenged Zane. The article noted:
At 57 kg in men’s freestyle, no qualified athletes decided to challenge 2023 World Team member Zane Richards, so Richards will compete at the Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier in Acupulco at that weight class.
The Olympic qualifying matches will occur in Acapulco, Mexico, February 28 to March 1, 2024. To qualify the spot for the Olympics, Zane will need to reach the finals. All semifinal winners qualify their nation.
Interestingly enough, there was no challenge from Daton Fix, Vitali Arujau or Thomas Gilman. Spencer Lee didn't meet the qualification to issue a challenge.
There will be three Women's challenge matches and one Men's Freestyle match between Yianni Diakomihalis and Nick Lee. In Greco, the wrestlers who win in the upcoming Senior Nationals in Fort Worth, Texas, December 15 to 17 will represent the greatest by God Country in the world in Acupulco. Speaking of that ...
THE BRAWLNAGELS
You can watch the Brawlnagels and the rest of the IRTC and IRTC-adjacent wrestlers on the FloWrestling stream. The brackets will be up at Trackwrestling. The matches for all Greco weights start at 10:00 am (Central) on December 15th. (Track doesn't have brackets up yet).
A. Danny Braunagel
This is supposed to be an updated list of entries for Senior Nationals, which is set to begin on December 15 in Fort Worth, Texas. Danny Braunagel is registered at 77 kg, while Zac is set to wrestle at 87 kg.
At 77 kilos, there are some powerhouse wrestlers that include World Team member Kamal Bey who'll get a bye to the finals per the USA Wrestling selection criteria:
According to the procedures for the 2024 Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier in Greco-Roman, any “2023 World Championships participants, at the Olympic weight classes, that also were medalists in the 2023 Pan American Games will get a bye to the finals of the December 2023 Senior Nationals Tournament.”
Bey did both those things.
Other wrestlers to watch out for at this weight include Payton Jacobson, Jesse Porter, RaVaughn Perkins, Tyler Eischens, Aliaksandr Kikiniou and Benjamin Peak. This is a loaded weight class with a total of 26 athletes registered. For ILLINOIS fans, another familiar name is Patrick Curran.
B. Zac Braunagel
Your number one seed in the bracket will be Zac. He'll have to wend his way through the bracket to win and secure that Pan Am Olympic Qualifier spot. Significantly, the one guy who gave him problems at this weight, Alan Vera, has moved up to 97 kg.
There are still 17 athletes registered so far, including some big names like John Stefanowicz, Richard Carlson, Ben Provisor and Andrew Berreyesa. For ILLINOIS fans, Evan Grazzini of Izzy Style is also registered. As you are no doubt aware, Danny and Zac Braunagel have claimed the privilege of Olympic redshirts based on their results over the Summer.
TĪNĒ ILLINI
THE IRTC AND OTHER IRTC-ADJACENT ATHLETES
We Rachal is listed as an entry at 67kg in Greco. He will be on the mat starting December 15. Last year, Rachal was a #6 preseed at 63kg, and he has had a great deal of success in the past, including a runner-up finish way back in 2018 in Fargo as a Greco 145lber. He's also had podium finishes at U23 World Team Trials (Bronze), Senior World Team Trials (4th) and Senior US Open (Bronze).
Kamal Bey is covered above. He'll get a bye to the finals of the Greco 77kg division. We at The ILLINI Wrestling Blog & Forum & Beyond are in total agreement with USA Wrestling procedures to give preference to wrestlers who have met reasonable criteria. Heck, that's what seeds are for anyway. Bey earned the spot, then he medaled at the Pan Am Games.
West Cathcart will be wrestling at 130 kg for the NYAC, but he's an IRTC-adjacent fellow. Cohlton Schultz, Adam Coon and Donny Longendyke are entered at this weight. Not many wrestlers (13, but pretty top heavy. Also, no Tanner Farmer or Luuuke Luffman.
Joe Rau is registered at 97 kg in Greco. He'll have to fend of Alan Vera (Hint: work him hard from the start) along with Christian DuLaney, David Tate Orndorff and Nicholas Boykin. Rau's the #1 seed here, and he has to be the favorite. The weight has 15 entries so far, including ILLINOIS natives Sterling Hecox and Eli Pannell.
Donations to the IRTC
Hey. Why not donate? If I can send a few bucks as poor as I am, you can as well! I just made a donation, and now I can't afford to go to the Strip Club this week. C'mon, fellas! Give up one night at The Master's Club for the IRTC. They'll even send you a t-shirt. Here's a link.
DANNY PUCINO
It's an established fact that if you beat an All-American wrestler your IQ jumps 30 points and your GPA increases by a full letter grade. So, get out there and beat All Americans. Also, drink milk.
We Rachal is listed as an entry at 67kg in Greco. He will be on the mat starting December 15. Last year, Rachal was a #6 preseed at 63kg, and he has had a great deal of success in the past, including a runner-up finish way back in 2018 in Fargo as a Greco 145lber. He's also had podium finishes at U23 World Team Trials (Bronze), Senior World Team Trials (4th) and Senior US Open (Bronze).
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