2025 US Open Wrestling U20 Men's Freestyle Preview & Predictions
The U20 freestyle division at the 2025 US Open goes down Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 in Las Vegas. Before all the action gets underway, check out our preview plus top-eight predictions for all ten weights! Today · 5:00 PM UTC 2025 CLAW US Open Wrestling Championships 57 kg 13 ranked HS wrestlers: […]
The U20 freestyle division at the 2025 US Open goes down Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 in Las Vegas. Before all the action gets underway, check out our preview plus top-eight predictions for all ten weights!
13 ranked HS wrestlers: #1 Anthony Knox, #2 Christian Castillo, #2 Ronnie Ramirez, #2 Jayden Raney, #3 Henry Aslikyan, #3 Joseph Uhorchuk, #5 Revin Dickman, #6 Domenic Munaretto, #8 Carter Chunko, #9 Dominic Deputy, #10 Gauge Botero, #14 Antonio Mills, #19 Aydan Thomas
High impact college guys: Vinny Kilkeary, Ohio State; Kael Lauridsen, Nebraska; Mack Mauger, Missouri; Davis Motyka, Penn; Gage Singleton, Oregon State; Ayden Smith, Rutgers; Cam Stinson, North Carolina; Nick Treaster, Navy; Mason Ziegler, Lehigh
Vinny Kilkeary and Anthony Knox, the second and third place finishers at this tournament a year ago, are the only returners from the top eight at 57 kg. Kilkeary beat Knox in the quarterfinal last year in a bout without a takedown. Knox went on to finish third while Kilkeary fell in the finals to eventual U20 World champ Luke Lilledahl. It’s worth noting that Lilledahl is still U20 eligible but registered for the Senior division in Vegas with his eyes on a rematch with Spencer Lee at Final X.
Kilkeary & Knox’s 2024 U20 US Open Quarterfinal
Knox and Kilkearly could be on a collision course this year, but this bracket has plenty of talent looking to derail the potential rematch. 57 kg has 13 nationally ranked high schoolers and no shortage of tough young college guys. Christian Castillo, Jayden Raney, Henry Aslikyan, and Dom Munaretto have all won U17 world medals in either freestyle or Greco.
College fans will want to keep an eye on this bracket to get a look at several potential starting 125-pounders for the 2025-26 season. Kael Lauridsen (Nebraska), Mack Mauger (Missouri), Ayden Smith (Rutgers), Cam Stinson (North Carolina), and more will all vie for starting jobs next season. Strong showings in Vegas could signal that they’re ready to make an impact during the upcoming NCAA season.
Prediction: 1) Anthony Knox 2) Vinny Kilkeary 3) Jayden Raney 4) Kael Lauridsen 5) Ronnie Ramirez 6) Mack Mauger 7) Dom Munaretto 8) Davis Motyka
61 kg
15 ranked HS wrestlers: #3 Aaron Seidel, #3 Nathan Desmond, #6 Matthew Botello, #7 Manuel Saldate, #8 Isaiah Cortez, #8 Tyler Dekraker, #9 Layne Kleimann, #10 Antonio Rodriguez, #12 Slater Hicks, #13 Deven Casey, #15 Sam Herring, 61 kg – #16 Elijah Cortez, #18 Khimari Manns, #18 Kellen Wolbert, #18 Dean Anderson
High impact college guys: JJ McComas, Oklahoma State; Adrian Meza, Iowa State; Omar Ayoub, Nebraska; Mason Gibson, Rutgers; Kyler Larkin, Arizona State
Incoming Arizona State freshman Kyler Larkin may be the favorite to with 61 kg this year. He’s a US Open finalist, Fargo champ, and U17 World team member whose best performances have been in freestyle over the years. He could be a big part of Arizona State’s future, so Sun Devil fans will want to keep an eye on this bracket. JJ McComas (Oklahoma State), Adrian Meza (Iowa State), Omar Ayoub (Nebraska), and Mason Gibson (Rutgers) will also look to crack lineups for their respective colleges after time in D1 rooms.
Plenty of highly ranked college commits will also make this an incredibly deep weight. Aaron Seidel (Virginia Tech), Nate Desmond and Sam Herring (Penn State), Matthew Botello (North Carolina), Isaiah and Elijah Cortez (Cornell), Tyler Dekraker (Ohio State), Layne Kleimann (Utah Valley), Deven Casey (Penn), Khimari Manns (Brown), Antonio Rodriguez (Arizona State), and Kellen Wolbert (Oklahoma State) have all had impressive high school careers and will look to take home hardware from Vegas.
Of the high school group, Aaron Seidel poses the biggest threat to win this bracket. He fell to Nate Desmond at the Open last April, but since then he avenged his loss to Desmond and has notched victories over #6 Botello, #8 (126) Cortez, and #8 Dekraker who are all in this field. He won Fargo and Beast of the East last year but fell at Who’s Number One and in the finals of Super 32 and PIAAs. A US Open title would cap a massively successful year for the Virginia Tech commit and give him an automatic spot in the best of three finals at the U20 trials.
Prediction: 1) Kyler Larkin 2) Aaron Seidel 3) Adrian Meza 4) Mason Gibson 5) Nate Desmond 6) Matthew Botello 7) Manny Saldate 8) Tyler Dekraker
High impact college guys: Luke Stanich, Lehigh; Pierson Manville, Arizona State; Gabriel Bouyssou, Cornell; Alex Braun, Oklahoma; Kolter Burton, Oklahoma State; Joey Butler, Indiana; Jack Consiglio; Stanford; Smokey McClure, Utah Valley
65kg is widely regarded as one of the deepest domestic men’s freestyle weights, and this year’s field at the U20 US Open represents that depth. Six high school wrestlers are ranked in the top five in their respective weight classes. On top of a stacked high school contingent, Lehigh All-American Luke Stanich and a bunch of other accomplished young college guys will create awesome matchups at this weight starting in the early rounds.
Iowa commit Bo Bassett is the returning champ at this weight. He parlayed his success last April into a U20 World team spot and an eventual bronze medal. He won’t see last year’s finalist, Aden Valencia, in Vegas although Valencia could still enter the U20 World Team Trials in May. 2024 placers Pierson Manville, Drew Gorman, and Gabriel Bouyssou will look to improve on their finishes from a year ago.
Bassett is the clear favorite, and while he hasn’t lost to domestic competition since the Last Chance Olympic Team Trials qualifier finals over a year ago when he fell to multiple time Princeton All-American Matt Kolodzik. Despite his consistent succes, Bassett has been tested. The two wrestlers in the field who have given him his closest matches this year are Daniel Zepeda and Sergio Vega. Bassett and Vega had a 14-12 barn burner in last year’s round of 16 that came down to the wire. Daniel Zepeda forced overtime in his rubber match against Bassett in the Super 32 finals. Nobody is safe in this bracket.
Luke Stanich may prove to be Bassett’s toughest competition. The Lehigh All-American has been on an upward trajectory during his first two years of college. When he moved from 125 lbs where he finished 5th at the 2024 NCAA Championships to 141 lbs for his redshirt year, some wrestling fans wondered whether he would be as competitive two weight classes above where he competed the previous season. He answered those questions by defeating Michigan round of 12 finisher Sergio Lemley and All-Americans Kai Orine and CJ Composto in unattached competition this season.
Relive last year’s insane 65kg US Open action
Prediction: 1) Bo Bassett 2) Luke Stanich 3) Daniel Zepeda 4) Sergio Vega 5) Pierson Manville 6) Gabriel Bouyssou 7) Jack Consiglio 8) Alex Braun
High impact college guys: Cross Wasilewski, Penn; Jaxon Joy, Cornell; EJ Parco, Stanford; Laird Root, North Carolina
PJ Duke dominated his way to the U20 World team last year, and he just might do it again this weekend, but he’ll have to navigate a deep bracket in Vegas. Five different wrestlers in this field (Landon Robideau, Kollin Rath, Melvin Miller, Collin Gaj, and Maddox Shaw) have competed in Who’s Number One, 14 are ranked high schoolers, and there are no shortage of college competitors.
Returning place winners from last year at this weight include Duke and #1 ranked 157-pounder Landon Robideau who finished 4th. Few wrestlers have improved more in the last couple years than Robideau. In 2023, he finished 3rd in Fargo and 2nd at Super 32. One year later he won both events in convincing fashion and notched victories at Who’s Number One and the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic. Duke as proven to be on another level from the rest of the wrestlers in this field, so a strong performance from Robideau in that potential match would be a massive statement for the Oklahoma State commit.
One Robideau’s two losses at last year’s Open came against Penn round of 12 finisher Cross Wasilewski who is also back in the field. He was 25-5 in his first year for the Quakers and could make a strong push in this bracket.
Prediction: 1) PJ Duke 2) Landon Robideau 3) Cross Wasilewski 4) Jaxon Joy 5) Melvin Miller 6) Laird Root 7) Kollin Rath 8) Collin Gaj
74 kg
7 ranked HS wrestlers: #1 Ladarion Lockett, #2 William Denny, #4 Brogan Tucker, #4 Dominic Bambinelli, #17 Benjamin Weader, #19 Jason Kwaak, #20 Tucker Roybal
High impact college guys: Joel Adams, Oregon State; Cam Catrabone, Michigan; Boeden Greenley, NDSU; Zach Hanson, Stanford; Isaias Jimenez, Penn; Charlie Millard, Minnesota; Paul Ognissanti, Penn; Latrell Schafer; NC State; Joe Sealey, Penn State
Dee Lockett was a U20 World silver medalist last summer after a U17 gold medal performance in 2023. He’s the favorite to make the team again this year in a field that includes 7 ranked high schoolers and a large contingent of seasoned college guys.
In addition to Lockett, placers from last year’s field include Joe Sealey (2nd), Zach Hanson (6th), and Charlie Millard (7th). Two other placers, Bouzakis and Root, have decided to descend to 70 kg for this year’s US Open.
Some of Lockett’s toughest high school competitors include Super 32 champ Will Denny, four-time Ohio state champ Brogan Tucker, and Doc B champ Dominic Bambinelli. The field of college guys obviously includes the three placers from a year ago (Sealey, Hanson, and Millard) but also includes Fargo finalist and Penn Quaker Isaias Jimenez, Fargo champ and NDSU Bison Boeden Greenley, Super 32 finalist and Michigan Wolverine Cam Catrabone, and U17 Greco champ Joel Adams who is now training at Oregon State.
Lockett vs Sealey in the 2024 U20 US Open finals
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Prediction: 1) LaDarion Lockett 2) Will Denny 3) Joe Sealey 4) Brogan Tucker 5) Zach Hanson 6) Joel Adams 7) Dominic Bambinelli 8) Charlie Millard
79 kg
7 ranked HS wrestlers: #2 William Henckel, #8 Eli Leonard, #10 Jordan Chapman, #10 Mario Carini, #12 Peyton Westpfahl, #16 Tyrel Miller, #18 Travis Grace
High impact college guys: Brock Mantanona, Michigan; Omaury Alvarez, North Carolina; Louie Cerchio, Cornell; Collin Guffey, Stanford; Jasiah Queen, Drexel; Jed Wester, Minnesota
This feels like one of the most wide open weights in the U20 division. One of the top college wrestlers in the field, Brock Mantanona, finished his high school career a year ago as a California state champ at 150 lbs while Will Henckel, the top high school prospect in the bracket hasn’t seen 150 lbs since his sophomore year, and he’s the only returning placer at this weight.
While there are plenty of nationally ranked high schoolers at 79 kg, the college guys loom large. Don’t be surprised if the podium in Vegas is filled with guys on the older end of age spectrum. Most of the NCAA wrestlers on the registration list will be competing for starting jobs in the fall. Drexel’s Jasiah Queen seems to have secured his starting spot by qualifying for NCAAs a year ago.
5 ranked HS wrestlers: #2 Adam Waters, #3 Carson Thomas, #4 Lane Foard, #6 Jimmy Mastny, #19 Jonathan Rocha
High impact college guys: Max McEnelly, Minnesota; Aeoden Sinclair, Missouri; Jake Dailey, North Carolina; Nicholas Fox, UNI; Cole Han-Lindemyer, Stanford; Damarion Ross, Northern Illinois; Jared Schoppe, Lehigh; Luke Vanadia, Michigan State
The two heaviest hitters at this weight are Minnesota All-American Max McEnelly and Missouri redshirt Aeoden Sinclair. They finished third and first respectively at this weight a year ago, and both have made U17 World teams (McEnelly earned a bronze medal in 2022). A potential McEnelly vs Sinclair showdown would be a good indicator for who’s in position to make the U20 World team later this spring, but it would also shine light into what NCAA fans can expect at 184 lbs during the 2025-26 college season.
Aeoden Sinclair’s 2024 U20 US Open finals victory over NCAA finalist Josh Barr
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While a lot of eyes will be on the current college guys, Ohio State commit and rising high school senior Adam Waters put together an incredible junior season. He helped lead Faith Christian to the top team ranking this year by notching titles at Ironman, Beast of the East, Escape the Rock, and PIAAs. His star has been on the rise all year, but a title, or even a close match with the likes of Sinclair or McEnelly would go a long way in establishing Waters as an NCAA title threat down the line.
Prediction: 1) Max McEnelly 2) Aeoden Sinclair 3) Adam Waters 4) Cole Han-Lindmeyer 5) Luke Vanadia 6) Carson Thomas 7) Lane Foard 8) Jimmy Mastny
92 kg
2 ranked HS wrestlers: #3 Angelo Posada, #19 Jason Singer
High impact college guys: Connor Mirasola, Penn State; Sonny Sasso, Virginia Tech; Cody Merrill, Oklahoma State; Dillon Bechtold, Bucknell; Tucker Hogan, Lock Haven; Nick Nosler, SIUE; Max Shulaw, Virginia
Last year’s U20 World 5th place finisher Connor Mirasola is in the running to make his second straight team. He’s coming off an 8-1 true freshman season at Penn State in which his only loss came against teammate and NCAA finalist Josh Barr. Mirasola is the only returning placer from last year’s Open, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be tested.
Like Mirasola, Oklahoma State’s Cody Merrill also had a solid redshirt campaign. He was 10-2 in his true freshman season with two-point losses to NCAA champion Stephen Buchanan and U20 World medalist Justin Rademacher. Mirasola and Merrill could be on a collision course in Vegas. While they haven’t faced one another in relevant competition,
Potential high place finishers this year include Virginia Tech’s Sonny Sasso, Bucknell’s Dillon Bechtold, Lock Haven’s Nick Nosler, Virginia’s Max Shulaw, and Stanford commit Angelo Posada. Both Hogan and Bechtold from that group have already qualified for NCAAs and have proven that they’re among the nation’s elite.
2 ranked HS wrestlers: #4 Cade Ziola, #7 Austin Johnson
High impact college guys: Justin Rademacher, Oregon State; Camden McDanel, Nebraska; Soren Herzog, Air Force; Quin Morgan, SDSU
Last year’s champion, Nebraska true freshman All-American Camden McDanel, is back in the mix, but he was knocked off at the U20 World Team Trials by eventual medalist Justin Rademacher. Those two are the heavy favorites to make the finals. Rademacher won their best of three finals series in Geneva in two straight matches with very different margins. The first bout was a 4-3 contest in which Rademacher scored three straight after surrendering a three-point lead, but their second was an 11-1 tech.
McDanel is the only returning 97kg placer from 2024 which makes room for some fresh faces to make an impact at this weight. Both Cade Ziola and Austin Johnson are finishing stellar high school careers and could find themselves high up on the podium with college guys like Air Force’s Soren Herzog (a U20 Greco champ last year) and SDSU’s Quin Morgan.
High impact college guys: Cole Mirasola, Penn State; Koy Hopke, Minnesota; Parker Ferrell, Virginia Tech; Jay Henderson, Cornell; Shilo Jones, NDSU; Richard Thomas, Oklahoma; Oscar Williams, Maryland
Heavyweight is one of the most exciting weights of the entire U20 US Open. It has high impact true freshmen like Penn State’s Cole Mirasola and Minnesota’s Koy Hopke along with massive recruits like uncommitted Coby Merrill, future Oklahoma State Cowboy Dreshaun Ross, and future Iowa Hawkeye Michael Mocco. This bracket really could set the state for the next wave of NCAA heavyweights who will be populating the All-American podium for the next four to five years.
Minnesota’s Koy Hopke is the highest (and only) returning 125 kg place winner from a year ago. He and Cole Mirasola, the 97 kg runner up in 2024 are the two on-paper favorites to reach the finals. Both Dreshaun Ross and Michael Mocco were busy making U17 World teams at last year’s open. Mocco would go on to win a 110 kg World title while Ross had to miss the Worlds due to injury.
Another contender at this weight is top-ranked high school heavyweight Coby Merrill. He beat last year’s runner up, Nicholas Sahakian during the high school season to secure the #1 spot in the country, and he’s a force at 125 kg. Between Merrill and formidable guys like Dellagatta, Kuhn, Whitehead, Ferrell, Henderson, Jones, Thomas, Williams, and more, this bracket is extremely hard to predict.
Prediction: 1) Cole Mirasola 2) Koy Hopke 3) Coby Merrill 3) Dreshaun Ross 4) Michael Mocco 5) Rocco Dellagatta 6) Rylan Kuhn 7) Parker Ferrell 8) Shilo Jones
Hockey is set up much the same way, the exception being – and this is really what’s driving a lot of the misconception about “bust” picks — all drafted players are typically 18 years old. Some don’t get drafted their first year of eligibility and occasionally do get taken the following summer at age 19. […]
Hockey is set up much the same way, the exception being – and this is really what’s driving a lot of the misconception about “bust” picks — all drafted players are typically 18 years old. Some don’t get drafted their first year of eligibility and occasionally do get taken the following summer at age 19.
But just like baseball, they are also competing against grown men at the NHL level and that’s very tough to do for reasons both physical and mental. An 18-year-old player can have all the “hockey sense” in the universe, but their body is still not fully developed physically compared to players in their early to late 20s.
Sure, a handful of truly gifted players have entered the league at 18. Kraken president Ron Francis was one of them, stepping in with the Hartford Whalers for a 68-point season in 59 games the fall after being taken fourth overall in 1981.
But Francis played at a solid 6-foot-3, 200 pounds in an era where players weren’t as big or quick as today’s.
When I was a teenager growing up in the Montreal suburb of Laval, Quebec, our local junior team, the Voisins, featured a guy named Mario Lemieux. We used to take the bus across town to the arena next to a penitentiary, buy standing room tickets for right up at the ice level glass and watch Super Mario in action.
His draft year in 1984, Lemieux stood 6-foot-4 and weighed 230 pounds. That season, he scored 133 goals and added 149 assists in 70 games. For those who like math, that’s a four-point-per-game average.
He was a giant among boys and watching him from ice level emphasized the size part. I was standing by the glass the Monday night in March 1984 when he broke Guy Lafleur’s single-season junior goals record of 130, finishing that game with six goals and five assists against the league’s second-best team from Longueuil. It was 11-0 by the eight-minute mark of the second period and wound up a 16-4 final.
His team clinched the league title that season with a 17-1 victory over the same squad.
When you think of surefire, NHL-ready 18-year-olds, that’s a good place to start. Merely putting up 100 points in a major junior hockey season doesn’t guarantee you’ll withstand the next level.
And that’s just from a physical standpoint. Lemieux, clearly, was a gifted playmaker with hockey sense streaming out of him that was wise beyond his years.
Put that whole package together, that’s a candidate for an 18-year-old NHL debut.
Now, not every 18-year-old has to be a towering future Hall of Famer to make the NHL full-time. But it sure helps. A teenage body often must grow into a man to play into a men’s league.
North Adams Foote Memorial Skating Rink to replace roof with more than $500,000 in state money | Northern Berkshires
NORTH ADAMS — The Peter Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rink is in serious need of a new roof — and the state has agreed to pay for it. In a Wednesday news release, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation said the money “is part of DCR’s ongoing effort to ensure families and residents have access […]
NORTH ADAMS — The Peter Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rink is in serious need of a new roof — and the state has agreed to pay for it.
In a Wednesday news release, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation said the money “is part of DCR’s ongoing effort to ensure families and residents have access to welcoming and safe recreational facilities that provide important opportunities for activity as well as serve as community hubs.”
The replacement will cost about $537,000, with completion slated for the summer and before the rink’s fall season opening, and consists of replacing the 36,000-square-foot roof with PVC roofing membrane and new insulation.
The city took the rink over from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, which didn’t own it but had a lease with the state, in 2008. The city signed a long-term lease and committed to putting money into the rink. Around the same time, the DCR made a major change in its management of skating rinks throughout the state, ceding control to private operators and municipalities. Now, the rink is owned by DCR and managed by the city.
A Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts hockey team sign hangs over a goal at the Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Skating Rink. MCLA hosted its first hockey game in 20 years in 2023. The rink is in line for a roof replacement, paid for by the state, to be completed before the end of the year.
GILLIAN HECK — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
Between expanded youth hockey programs, open skating and more, the rink is a popular spot in the city, even more so now that MCLA hockey has returned to the rink after a 20-year hiatus.
State Rep. John Barrett III, D-North Adams, who was instrumental in getting the DCR to fund the project, recalled his efforts as mayor in 2008 to secure a long-term commitment of $1.1 million from the state for the upkeep of the rink, which was built in 1969.
“DCR was getting rid of all of its rinks, and MCLA backed away from it, ending their hockey program and no longer running the rink,” he said Thursday. “We took it over, and it has become most successful, and hasn’t cost the city any money. It’s a tremendous resource for Northern Berkshire.”
“I never thought I’d be around to promote this,” Barrett said. “I know it’s in desperate need, like it was when I took it over. I thank the DCR and the Healey administration for not walking away from commitments made two administrations ago.”
The Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Skating Rink, built in 1969, is set to get a new roof. The state Department of Conservation and Recreation, is picking up the tab.
GILLIAN HECK — THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE
North Adams Mayor Jennifer Macksey said that one of her first actions as mayor, in January 2022, was to work with DCR on maintaining “this important community and regional asset.”
“Fortunately, one of our biggest concerns with the rink is being addressed,” she said in the news release.
Saskatoon Blades forward Cooper Williams commits to UND – Grand Forks Herald
GRAND FORKS — UND coach Dane Jackson said in his introductory press conference last month that he wants the Fighting Hawks to be a leader in recruiting Western Canada. On Friday, UND landed one of the top-performing young players in the Western Hockey League. Saskatoon Blades forward Cooper Williams, who tallied more points than any […]
GRAND FORKS — UND coach Dane Jackson said in his introductory press conference last month that he wants the Fighting Hawks to be a leader in recruiting Western Canada.
On Friday, UND landed one of the top-performing young players in the Western Hockey League.
Saskatoon Blades forward Cooper Williams, who tallied more points than any 2008-born player in the WHL this season, announced his commitment to UND on Instagram.
Williams scored 21 goals and tallied 57 points in 68 regular-season games for the Blades.
The 6-foot, 150-pound Calgary native was one of six finalists for the WHL’s Rookie of the Year honor.
“He’s very, very smart,” Saskatoon coach Dan DaSilva told
Global News
in December. “He has a high hockey IQ. He’s in the right position. He knows where to go on the ice — both offensively and defensively. That’s his biggest asset, I’d say, is his ability to think and to read plays.”
Williams, 17, is expected to return to the Blades next season. His date of arrival on campus is yet to be determined.
Williams, who is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, visited UND last week.
“It was awesome,” he said. “Everything was so cool. I met a couple of guys on the team. They were awesome. The staff was awesome as well.”
Cooper Williams’ commitment announcement on Instagram.
Williams said he had been thinking about attending college for a while. He signed with Saskatoon, but in November, the NCAA changed its rules to allow players from the three Canadian Hockey Leagues to retain their college eligibility.
“I was thinking about (college) for a while now, even before the WHL Draft,” Williams said. “It was a 50-50 split. It’s awesome that the rules changed.”
Williams said he knew about UND because of former Fighting Hawks defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker, who helped coach hockey at Williams’ elementary school in Calgary.
“I talked to one other school over the phone, but I didn’t want to check out other schools,” Williams said. “(At UND), the facilities are great, the campus is unreal and it just seemed like the right fit for me.”
Williams is the second 2008-born player to commit to UND, joining West Fargo’s Keaton Jundt.
UND has a commitment from one 2009-born player in forward Eli McKamey, who accelerated his education and will be a senior next year.
The Fighting Hawks have been busy building the 2025-26 roster since Jackson was announced as head coach in late March.
Their 2025 commitments have included freshmen Jack Kernan (center) and Jan Špunar (goaltender). They’ve also picked up transfers Ellis Rickwood (Clarkson center), Anthony Menghini (Minnesota Duluth winger), Isaac Gordon (Michigan Tech winger), Gibson Homer (Arizona State goaltender) and Zach Sandy (Minnesota Duluth goaltender).
Williams is the first non-2025 commit of the Jackson era.
By
Brad Elliott Schlossman
Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the top beat writer for the Herald’s circulation division four times and the North Dakota sportswriter of the year twice. He resides in Grand Forks. Reach him at bschlossman@gfherald.com.
SEC Hockey? Nashville set to host all SEC conference club hockey event
The University of Texas Hockey Team has seen great success on the ice, they’ll look to build off that success at the Southeastern Collegiate Frozen Showcase in 2026. Ice hockey is gaining ground in the heart of SEC country, with club teams from several Southeastern Conference universities set to take center stage at the inaugural […]
The University of Texas Hockey Team has seen great success on the ice, they’ll look to build off that success at the Southeastern Collegiate Frozen Showcase in 2026.
Ice hockey is gaining ground in the heart of SEC country, with club teams from several Southeastern Conference universities set to take center stage at the inaugural Southeast Collegiate Frozen Showcase in January 2026.
While the SEC and NCAA do not officially sanction the sport, club hockey programs representing Texas A&M, Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri, Texas, Auburn, Alabama, and Mississippi will compete in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Men’s Division II event at the Ford Ice Center in Nashville from Jan. 9-11, 2026. The showcase highlights the rapid growth and increasing competitiveness of non-varsity college hockey across the South, with many of the team’s who’s institutions are of members of the Southeastern Conference having great success on the ice.
The Texas Longhorns, fresh off a standout season, are among the featured teams. Texas punched its ticket to the ACHA Division II National Championship after a dramatic run at regionals in Colorado, including an overtime victory against the University of California, Berkeley. The Longhorns’ success reflects a broader surge in interest and achievement for hockey programs at SEC schools, many of which compete in the ACHA or the AAU’s College Hockey South Conference.
Club hockey in the region has seen significant expansion, with College Hockey South now comprising 50 teams from 30 schools across eight states. Some SEC programs, including Ole Miss, Georgia, Auburn, and Alabama, are exploring the formation of an all-SEC hockey league, citing increased interest and recruitment. “There’s been a lot of discussion around SEC, ACHA and other options,” said Max Mona, head coach of the Vanderbilt Club Hockey team. “We’ve given our players the flexibility to decide on leagues and scheduling.”
For now, the Southeast Collegiate Frozen Showcase will serve as a marquee event for SEC hockey enthusiasts, offering a glimpse of the sport’s rising profile in the region and the potential for even greater growth in the years ahead.
Illinois State Transfer Sara Wabi Signs with Mizzou Gymnastics
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COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri gymnastics has signed graduate transfer Sara Wabi from Illinois State, head coach Shannon Welker announced on Friday. The Chicago native joins the Tigers after four seasons with the Redbirds, helping lead the team win the 2023 and 2025 Midwest Independent Conference (MIC) Championship and a […]
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri gymnastics has signed graduate transfer Sara Wabi from Illinois State, head coach Shannon Welker announced on Friday.
The Chicago native joins the Tigers after four seasons with the Redbirds, helping lead the team win the 2023 and 2025 Midwest Independent Conference (MIC) Championship and a trio of All-MIC First Team recognitions during her senior season. Wabi’s performance earned her a bid to compete on bars as an individual in the Seattle Regional of the 2025 NCAA Championships.
“We are thrilled to welcome another high-level transfer to our program,” Welker said. “Sara is an elite competitor and brings great experience after competing at Illinois State for the last four years. She is a huge addition to our uneven bars squad – we cannot wait to begin working with her.”
In 2024, Wabi saw action on floor and bars in every meet and was named to the All-MIC Second Team on both bars and floor at the MIC Championship. She scored 9.875 or better nine times during the season.
Wabi’s first collegiate meet came in 2023, where she competed on floor for the entirety of her sophomore year. She earned All-Midwest Independent Conference First Team honors on beam and bars that season as well.
Before college, Wabi competed for Aspire Gymnastics Academy. During the 2021 Illinois State Meet, she placed second on bars, fourth on beam, seventh on floor, eighth on vault and fourth in the all-around.
Daughter to Steve and Sheryl Wabi, Sara was born on November 20, 2002.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For all the latest on Mizzou gymnastics, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Photo courtesy Pittsburgh Riveters SC USL W-League – Great Forest Division Riveters (0-0-0) vs. Cleveland Force SC (0-0-0) Friday, May 16 | 7 p.m. | Highmark StadiumTV: SportsNet Pittsburgh+ | Streaming: SportsEngine Play Pittsburgh Soccer Now Coverage Team: Rachael Palmer (reporting / social media updates), Ed Thompson (photography) Match Day Updates After much hype and a strong […]
Pittsburgh Soccer Now Coverage Team: Rachael Palmer (reporting / social media updates), Ed Thompson (photography)
Match Day Updates
After much hype and a strong marketing blitz rarely ever seen for a pre-professional club across the United States soccer landscape, the Pittsburgh Riveters SC finally get to take the field when they face Cleveland Force on Friday night at Highmark Stadium (7 p.m. kickoff). Pittsburgh Soccer Now’s Rachael Palmer and Ed Thompson will be there to cover the match and all the festivities surrounding it. Look for updates and more to come here on this thread.
— Kaitlyn Moe Rosensteel Scholarship Foundation (@MoeRosensteel) May 16, 2025
Preview / Getting to know the Riveters SC
Riveters are led by Head Coach Scott Gibson — who’s been part of the Hounds Academy for nearly two decades.
The team will face a 10-game slate in the league’s new Great Forest Division.
For Gibson, one of the toughest tasks will be squad selection. The Riveters have depth at every position, both homegrown and nationally recruited, which will be a benefit over the course of a condensed schedule. But for this one-off opening night, Gibson has only a handful of training sessions from which to glean his ideal starting 11.
Tessa Dellarose, the former U.S. U-20 international and 2024 NCAA champion with North Carolina, is one of the few locks for the 11 and will wear the captain’s armband for the team’s historic debut. As the first player announced for the team last fall, the midfielder will be crucial in a pivot role for the Riveters.
“We want to improve and we want to mesh together each game,” the Tar Heels midfielder said. “Most importantly, inaugural season or not, we want to compete and we want to win.”
Coffield stated that coach Scott Gibson has set a priority for the team to build its chemistry quickly. It’s a tough task, with players encompassing more than 20 different colleges.
“I think we’re looking to make an impact,” Former Mars standout and current Indiana University midfielder Piper Coffield explained.
“It’s our first year and Scott mentioned about us gelling and getting to know each other with a quick turnaround. We started training on Monday and have our first game on Friday, but I’m optimistic about this group. We’re looking to win some games and score some goals. I think it’s going to be an exciting season.”
Scouting Cleveland Force
The Riveters’ first opponent is a somewhat familiar one, as the Force is a longtime opponent of teams from the Riverhounds Academy at the youth level.
Much like Gibson, the Force are led by a Head Coach who has been an instrumental part of the club’s Youth Programs and Girls ECNL Director, Rob Miller.
Now, each club has a proper women’s First Team, and it makes for a fitting start to begin their history with an installment of the classic Pittsburgh/Cleveland rivalry.
The Force could have an advantage of having a core group of players that have been playing together longer. Last year, they posted 5W-6L-1D record in W-League’s Central Conference Great Lakes Division.
One player to look out for with Cleveland is McKenzie Muir, who has been a key player at Duquesne the past three seasons. The rising senior scored eight goals total on the Bluff and was among Cleveland’s leading scorers last season, scoring six goals in 10 matches.
A little bit more history…
Cleveland Force SC were formed in 2018 after a merger of three of Cleveland’s most prestigious Youth Soccer Clubs: CSA Impact, Cleveland United, and Internationals SC, and the club joined W-League in 2023. More than a dozen youth and senior national team players, more than 40 professional players, and more than 500 collegiate players have come through the Force organization.
The “Cleveland Force” name has been associated with both a men’s indoor soccer team and a women’s soccer team. The original Cleveland Force was a men’s team in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) from 1978-1988.
Unlike Pittsburgh — Cleveland does have a clear path toward having a women’s professional soccer team, as one of the signature franchise in the Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPSL) as one of the founding markets, according to Spectrum News.
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