16U Greco-Roman National Duals Recap

Wisconsin 16U Greco Team Makes Run to National Finals

If you didn’t follow every match from Farmington, Utah, here’s the short version: Team Wisconsin had an outstanding tournament and finished 2nd in the nation at the 16U Greco-Roman National Duals.  Team Wisconsin came in as the No. 3 seed and backed it up, beating several of the country’s best teams before falling to top-ranked Pennsylvania in the championship dual.

Wisconsin Started Fast

The tournament opened with complete domination.  Wisconsin crushed Louisiana 67-5 and followed that up with a 63-9 win over Minnesota Blue. The team was scoring technical falls and pins all over the lineup, showing right away that they were one of the strongest teams in the field.

The Big Wins

As the competition got tougher, Wisconsin kept delivering. Team Wisconsin earned impressive dual wins over some of the traditional powerhouses, including:

• Illinois (40-34)
• Iowa (41-30)
• California Gold (44-28)

Several times Wisconsin found itself in tight duals or early deficits, but the team consistently responded with bonus-point victories and strong performances in the middle and upper weights.

The Semifinal Everyone Will Remember

The most exciting dual of the tournament came against Washington. With a spot in the national finals on the line, Wisconsin battled through a back-and-forth matchup that came down to the final few weights. Big wins from Tyler Paulson, Jacob Penzkover, Michael Daleiden, Kade Splinter, and Lucian Lorenz helped Wisconsin pull out a thrilling 38-36 victory. That win sent Wisconsin to the national championship dual.

A Shot at the National Title

Waiting in the finals was No. 1 Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania built an early lead, but Wisconsin didn’t go quietly. Team Wisconsin won seven matches in the dual, including victories from:

• Lincoln Swick
• Tyler Paulson
• Aspen Tritz
• Everett Zeitler
• Jacob Penzkover
• Nolan Ferrell
• Kade Splinter

Wisconsin made a push in the middle and upper weights, but Pennsylvania held on for a 41-34 victory. Even in defeat, Wisconsin showed it could compete with the best team in the country.

Wrestlers Who Stood Out

A few names seemed to pop up all tournament long:

• Lincoln Swick (120): One of Wisconsin’s most dependable wrestlers all week. Swick kept stacking wins and bonus points and was a major reason Wisconsin reached the finals.
• Kade Splinter (215):  A bonus-point machine. Splinter recorded multiple technical falls and delivered a huge pin in the semifinal win over Washington.
• Michael Daleiden (165): Consistently came through in big spots and scored valuable team points throughout the event.
• Tyler Paulson (138): Picked up important wins against top-level competition and was a key piece of Wisconsin’s championship run.

Final Thoughts

For Wisconsin wrestling fans, this tournament was another example of why the state continues to be respected nationally in Greco-Roman wrestling. The team beat some of the nation’s best programs, reached the championship dual, and finished as National Runner-Up. Many of these wrestlers are already making a name for themselves, and others are well on their way. Based on what Wisconsin showed in Utah, the future of Wisconsin Greco-Roman wrestling looks bright.

Record breakdown

Wrestler	W-L	TF	Dec	Pin
Reed Akkerman (88)	5-2	2	0	1
Ayden Ewing (94)	2-5	1	0	1
Parker Gerber (100)	3-4	2	1	0
Colin Weber (106)	1-6	0	1	0
Kolten Mueller (113)	5-2	4	1	0
Lincoln Swick (120)	7-0	4	2	0
Braiden Hale-Toomey (126)	2-5	0	2	0
Isaac Weber (132)	4-3	0	2	2
Tyler Paulson (138)	7-0	4	3	0
Aspen Tritz (144)	5-2	3	0	1
Everett Zeitler (150)	5-2	5	0	0
Jacob Penzkover (157)	5-2	5	0	0
Michael Daleiden (165)	6-1	3	2	1
Nolan Ferrell (175)	5-2	4	1	0
Treyton Altuve (190)	4-3	0	0	4
Kade Splinter (215)	7-0	5	0	1
Lucian Lorenz (285)	4-3	2	2	0

Team Leaders

Undefeated

• Lincoln Swick (7-0)
• Tyler Paulson (7-0)
• Kade Splinter (7-0)

Most Wins

• Lincoln Swick (7)
• Tyler Paulson (7)
• Kade Splinter (7)
• Michael Daleiden (6)

Most Technical Falls

• Everett Zeitler (5)
• Kade Splinter (5)
• Jacob Penzkover (5)
• Lincoln Swick (4)
• Tyler Paulson (4)
• Nolan Ferrell (4)

Most Pins

• Treyton Altuve (4)
• Isaac Weber (2)
• Michael Daleiden (1)
• Reed Akkerman (1)
• Aspen Tritz (1)

Combined Team Statistics

Team Record: 80-39

Wins by Method

• Technical Fall: 42
• Decision: 20
• Pin/Fall: 11
• Forfeit/Injury Default: 7

That means 75% of Wisconsin’s wins were bonus-point victories (TF, pin, FF, or injury default), which is a huge reason Team Wisconsin were able to reach the national finals despite facing some of the toughest teams in the country.