Iowa heavyweight Tony Cassioppi (right) sizes up Penn State's Greg Kerkvliet on Jan. 28, 2022 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)
Tony Cassioppi, Pat Lugo Wrestling in World Team Trials
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa junior Tony Cassioppi and Hawkeye Wrestling Club member Pat Lugo will compete at the 2022 World Team Trials Challenge tournament on May 21-22 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
Cassioppi is the No. 3 seed at 125 kg (behind Hayden Zillmer and Nick Gwiazdowski), while Lugo is the No. 9 seed at 65 kg.
The HWC will also be represented in the women’s freestyle bracket by Rachel Watters (No. 7 seed at 65 kg), Victoria Francis (No. 4 seed at 76 kg) and Jordan Nelson (No. 6 seed at 76 kg). Two incoming Iowa women’s wrestlers – Nanea Estrella and Nyla Valencia – will compete also will compete in the event.
Action begins at 10 a.m. (CT) and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The World Team Trials Challenge tournament features top Olympic hopefuls in three Olympic disciplines – men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman. Winners and some of the runners-up will advance to Final X Stillwater on June 3 or Final X New York on June 8.
Final X is the last step in the Senior World Team Trials process, which will determine the 2022 U.S. Senior World Team that will compete in Belgrade, Serbia, from Sept. 12-18.
Two Final X participants will be determined in the semifinals on Sunday morning for men’s 125 kg and women’s 76 kg. One Final X participant will be determined Sunday night for men’s 65 kg and women’s 76 kg with a best two-of-three championship series.
Estrella, who competes for Titan Mercury Wrestling Club, is the top seed at 59 kg, while Valencia, also of the TMWC, is the No. 4 seed at 50 kg.
Action begins at 10 a.m. (CT) and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The World Team Trials Challenge tournament features top Olympic hopefuls in three Olympic disciplines – men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman. Winners and some of the runners-up will advance to Final X Stillwater on June 3 or Final X New York on June 8.
Final X is the last step in the Senior World Team Trials process, which will determine the 2022 U.S. Senior World Team that will compete in Belgrade, Serbia, from Sept. 12-18.
Two Final X participants will be determined in the semifinals on Sunday morning for women’s 59kg. One Final X participant will be determined Sunday night for 50 kg with a best two-of-three championship series.