By Gary Abbott
USA Wrestling

FARGO, N.D. - Every year, the nation's best young wrestlers come together for the world's largest wrestling competition, the 2025 U.S Marine Corps Junior Nationals at the Fargodome on the campus of North Dakota State in Fargo, N.D.

In 2024, the competition, which includes the 16U and Junior age divisions, set a new participation record, with a combined 8,069 participants in the six national tournaments. All six tournaments in 2024 saw growth over the previous year. Based upon preliminary registration from USA Wrestling’s state associations, organizers expect to set another new record this year, with continued growth in all six tournaments.

It all started with the Junior Nationals in men’s freestyle, held in Iowa City, Iowa in 1971, which added Greco-Roman in 1972, and later was merged with the 16U Nationals (formerly the Cadet Nationals) in 1996. The Junior Nationals enters its 54nd year, held annually except in 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2025 tournament is scheduled for July 12-19, and the field is as strong as ever. USA Wrestling has official state association team standings in all the divisions held in Fargo, adding to the tradition of state wrestling pride exhibited at this event.

The Junior division features high school wrestlers in grades 9-12. Every year, the Junior division features talented athletes who are proven winners, as well as many emerging stars.  The 16U division features athletes who turned 15 or 16 years old in 2025 and is a tournament where athletes can begin to make a name for themselves on the national level.

The entire U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals has become a traditional highlight of the wrestling season.

For the third straight year, the tournament is broken up by discipline. Both the Junior and 16U Nationals finals in each discipline will be held side-by-side on two raised mats. It starts with women’s freestyle (July 12-13), followed by men’s freestyle (July 14-16) and Greco-Roman (July 18-19). There is an off-day on Thursday, July 17.

Only nine boys have won the coveted USA Wrestling Triple Crown on the Junior level since the program was created in 2007, earned by claiming folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman Junior National titles in the same year. There are only two athletes who have won two Junior Triple Crowns, Adam Coon of Michigan (2012-2013) and Tony Cassioppi of Illinois (2017-2018). There were no Junior Triple Crown winners in 2024.

There have been 29 different boys to win a 16U Triple Crown since the program began in 2003. The only two-time 16U Triple Crown winner was Taylor Massa of Michigan (2008-2009). There were two 16U Boys Triple Crown winners in 2024, Aaron Stewart (165) and Jonathan Rulo (285).

A Triple Crown program for Junior and 16U girls was launched three years ago. In 2024, the first Junior Girls Triple Crown was awarded to Valerie Hamilton of Illinois (145). Also in 2024, the first 16U Girls Triple Crown was awarded to Kaili Manuel of Michigan (148).

Here is a quick peak at the stars who are included in the pre-registration at this time.

Women’s freestyle – Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13

2024 Junior National women’s freestyle champions who have pre-registered in the Junior Nationals include

Katey Valdez of Colorado (100), Heather Crull of Indiana (105), Taylor Whiting of Wisconsin (115) and Kali Hayden of Oklahoma (170). Crull has won two Junior National titles.

2024 Junior women’s freestyle runners-up who have pre-registered include Savannah Witt of Pennsylvania (120), Isabella Cepak of Michigan (135), Sarah Henckel of Connecticut (155), Kaylie Hall of West Virginia (170) and Tirza Twoteeth of Montana (235, now at 207).

2024 16U women’s freestyle champions who are wrestling in the Junior division this year include Lily Enos of Illinois (88, now at 95), Jaclyn Bouzakis of Pennsylvania (100), Julia Horger of Pennsylvania (105), Charlie Wylie of New Jersey (112, now at 110), Me’Kala James of California (124, now at 125), Taina McGowan of New Jersey (130), Violette Lasure of Pennsylvania (142, now at 145), Brooke Huffman of Wisconsin (190) and Brenda Banks of Pennsylvania (235).

The 2024 Junior women’s freestyle team champions were California, followed by second place Missouri, third place Pennsylvania, fourth place Indiana and fifth place Illinois.

Another indication of the strength of the state teams are the results from the 2025 Junior Women’s National Duals in Westfield, Indiana, where Michigan was the team champion, with Ohio placing second. Wisconsin finished third, Pennsylvania took fourth and Illinois was fifth.

The 2024 16U Nationals women’s freestyle champions who have pre-registered in the 16U Nationals are Taina Fernandez of Maryland (136), Kaili Manuel of Michigan (155) and Janiya Johnson of Tennesee (155).

2024 16U freestyle women’s runners-up who have pre-registered in the 16U Nationals include Victoria Carbonaro of New Jersey (125), Caroline Hilton of Tennessee (130), Matilda Hruby of Colorado (170, now at 155) and Tevia Nau Rarick of Utah (190).

Pennsylvania was 2024 16U women’ freestyle team champions, with New Jersey  in second place. California in third place, Michigan in fourth place and Wisconsin in fifth place.

In 2025, the champions of the 16U Women’s National Duals was Pennsylvania, followed by runner-up Wisconsin, third place California, fourth place Illinois and fifth place Ohio.

Men’s freestyle – Monday, July 14, Tuesday, July 15 and Wednesday, July 16

2024 Junior National men’s freestyle champions who have pre-registered in the Junior Nationals include Christopher Swann of Georgia (106, now at 113), Dunia Sibomana of New York (113, now at 120) and Melvin Miller of Pennsylvania (157, now at 165).

The 2024 Junior men’s freestyle men’s runners-up who have pre-registered are Aydin Dodd of Ohio (113, now 120), Brock Rothermel of Pennsylvania (120), Elliott Humphreys of Massachusetts (165, now at 175) and Cade Ziola of Nebraska (190, now at 215).

2024 16U National men’s freestyle champions who are pre-registered in the Junior division are Justin Farnsworth of Pennsylania (100, now at 113), Stephen Meyers of West Virginia (126, now at 132), Clinton Shepherd of Indiana (132, now at 144), Justis Jesuroga of Iowa (138, now at 150), Lucas Boe of Indiana (157, now at 165) and Brayden Koester of Iowa (175, now at 190).

The 2024 Junior freestyle team champions were Pennsylvania, followed by runner-up New Jersey, third place California, fourth place Minnesota and fifth place Illinois.

The 2025 Junior National Duals in freestyle in Milwaukee, Wis. went to Pennsylvania, with Ohio in second, Illinois in third, Wisconsin in fourth and Indiana in fifth.

2024 16U men’s freestyle men’s runners-up who have pre-registered in the 16U Nationals include Tyler Verceles of Maryland (94, now 113), Corey Brown of Maryland (100, now 120) and Paul Ruiz of California (113, now 126).

The 16U freestyle team champion in 2024 was Pennsylvania, with Illinois in second, Iowa in third, New Jersey in fourth and Indiana in fifth.

The men’s freestyle champions at the 2025 16U National Duals in Herriman, Utah was Wisconsin, with Ohio in second place. Minnesota placed third, Pennsylvania was fourth and Illinois was fifth.

Greco-Roman – Friday, July 18 and Saturday, July 19

2024 Junior National Greco-Roman champions who have pre-registered in the Junior Nationals include Cason Craft of Oklahoma (106, now at 113), Nicolas Enzminger of North Dakota (120, now at 113), Brandon Dean of Colorado (150) and Adam Waters of Pennsylvania (190).

Runners-up in the 2024 Junior Greco-Roman Nationals who are registered for the Junior Nationals include Jose Cordero of Tennessee (100, now at 113), Dylan Ota of Texas (106, now at 113), Jackson Heslin of Connecticut (126), Wyatt Medlin of Illinois (144, now at 157), Aiden Squier of New Jersey (175, now at 190) and Micah Hach of South Dakota (285).

2024 16U Greco-Roman National champions who are registered in the Junior Nationals this year are Loc Webber of Ohio (100, now at 106), Matthew Orbeta of California (126, now at 138), Austin Collins of Colorado (132, now at 144) and Chance Ruble of Missouri (150).

Illinois was the 2024 Junior Greco-Roman team champions, followed in the standings by runner-up Oklahoma, third place Minnesota, fourth place Colorado and fifth place Pennsylvania.

The 2024 Junior National Duals Greco-Roman champion was Illinois, followed by Utah in second place, Minnesota in third place, Oklahoma in fourth place and Washington in fifth place.

There is one 2024 16U National Greco-Roman champion who has pre-registered in the 16U Nationals, Ivan Ivanov of Idaho (147, now at 175).

Runners-up in the 2024 16U Greco-Roman Nationals who are registered in the 16U Nationals include Tristan Pino of Colorado (94, now at 113), Montero Royal of South Carolina (106, now at 113), Jovani Solis of Florida (138) and James Whitbread of Pennsylvania (144, now at 165).

The 16U Greco-Roman team champions in 2024 were Iowa, followed by California in second place, Illinois in third place, Ohio in fourth place and Missouri in fifth place.

The results from the 2024 16U National Duals showed Pennsylvania as team champion, Wisconsin in second place, California in third place, Illinois in fourth place and Minnesota in fifth place.

Each year, USA Wrestling keeps a combined team standings for all six tournaments. In 2024, Pennsylvania won the overall team standings, with California in second, Illinois in third, Iowa in fourth and Ohio in fifth.

Complete 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals schedule

https://usawrestlingevents.com/event/2500095902/schedule

For the eighth year in a row, TheMat.com is announcing state team rosters prior to Fargo as they are received, to give fans a chance to see what star wrestlers plan to be in Fargo and what teams should be strong this time around.

2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals state team rosters (all divisions)

For the third year in a row, there will be Beach Wrestling held in conjunction with the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals. Two days of competition will be held at the Gastropub Volleyball Complex in Fargo. On Sunday, July 13, 16U and Junior Women’s Beach wrestling will begin at 10:00 a.m. On Thursday, July 17, 16U and Junior Boys Beach wrestling starts at 10:00 a.m.

The U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals brings together hundreds of wrestling volunteers, including referees, pairing officials, coaches, state leaders and tournament operation workers, all who provide the opportunity for up to 9,000 athletes to pursue their dreams.

All of the matches on all of the mats from the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals will be broadcast live on Flo Wrestling

USA Wrestling has created a Special Section which will have all of its coverage prior to and during the competition, with rosters, previews, event coverage, interview videos, photo galleries. Check it out on TheMat.com

SCHEDULE FOR 2025 CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

Sunday, July 13 - Junior and 16U Women’s Freestyle Finals (side-by-side) at 2:30 p.m. CT

Wednesday, July 16 - Junior and 16U Men’s Freestyle Finals (side-by-side) at 5:30 p.m. CT

Saturday, July 19 -Junior and 16U Greco-Roman Finals (side-by-side) at 6:00 p.m. CT