Fargo, ND – July 21st, 2024: The Junior boys Greco-Roman team from Minnesota achieved an impressive 3rd place overall finish at the USMC National Championships in Fargo, a significant improvement from their 8th place finish in 2023. Illinois secured the title, followed by Oklahoma in second place. Minnesota proudly took third, with Colorado and Pennsylvania rounding out the top five teams.

Team points were accumulated by wrestlers who finished in the top 8, earning All-American status and the coveted stop sign plaque for their achievements.

Notable Performances:

• Zak McPhee (190 lbs) - Champion. Entering the tournament as the 16th seed with limited matches under the USA Wrestling sanctioning, McPhee overcame the odds with a technical fall in the semifinals and an exciting pin in the championship finals.

• Griffin Lundeen (165 lbs) - Runner-up. Lundeen lost a tight 3-1 match to Kikiniou from California. Kikiniou comes from a rich tradition, as his father was an olympian in 2004 and 2012 for Belarus and finished 2nd this year in the U.S. Olympic Trials at 44 years old.

• Alex Braun (138 lbs) - Runner-up. Braun lost to returning champion Landon Drury from Colorado in the finals. Braun was the only double All-American for Team Minnesota, finishing on the podium in both freestyle and Greco. Drury is headed to Northern Michigan with aspirations for the 2028 Olympic team.

• Logan Schwanz (126 lbs) - 4th place.

• Jarrett Wadsen (165 lbs) - 4th place

• Lawson Eller (126 lbs) - 5th place.

• Cito Tuttle (215 lbs) - 6th place.

• Matt Randolph (157 lbs) - 7th place.

16U Division Highlights:

• Landon Thoennes (100 lbs) - Runner-up. Despite having to rewrestle a protested quarter finals match, Thoennes made it to the championship, where he was defeated by Webber from Ohio, a US Open champion set to represent the US in the U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan.

• Liam Collins (113 lbs) - 5th place.

• Jake Kos (144 lbs) - 7th place.

The 2024 USMC National Championships in Fargo saw over 8,500 participants across men’s and women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. Team Minnesota’s wrestlers showcased incredible dedication and skill throughout the event. As some of our graduating seniors move on to college and others prepare for the 2024-2025 high school folkstyle season, the experiences and lessons from Fargo will stay with them.

In closing, there is nothing like the notorious tournament simply called Fargo. We have immense respect for the Minnesota athletes who challenged themselves and competed against the country's best. Regardless of the results, we hope the experience was positive, and we extend our heartfelt thanks for representing our state with pride.