Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals: Wisconsin’s Top Entrants to Watch in the 11th-12th Grade Division

Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals: Wisconsin’s Top Entrants to Watch in the 11th-12th Grade Division

As the high school folkstyle wrestling season approaches, the national spotlight turns to Des Moines, Iowa, for the USA Wrestling Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals. A high-profile proving ground for state medalists and prospective college recruits, the 11th-12th Grade Division features a deep contingent from Wisconsin, spanning across Divisions 1, 2, and 3.

Below is a weight-by-weight breakdown of the Badger State athletes competing on the national stage, including projected weight changes and college commitments.

Division 1 (D1)

Lightweights (113 – 132 lbs)

Wisconsin brings strong technical skill and lower-weight depth to the opening weight classes:

• 113 lbs — 7th Seed Ethan Flom (De Pere, Jr.): Ranked #7 in Wisconsin’s top division at 113 lbs, Flom brings steady positioning and quick scoring ability to the lightweight field.
• 113 lbs — Isaiah Black (River Falls, Sr.): Currently unranked, this senior entrant seeks to capitalize on national exposure and spoil seeds in early rounds.
• 120 lbs — Kyler Van Keuren (Waukesha West, Jr.): Ranked #8 in D1 at 120 lbs, Van Keuren brings tech-fall threat potential and scrambling ability.
• 120 lbs — Trenton Van Schyndel (Kaukauna, Jr.): Ranked #7 in D1 at 120 lbs, Van Schyndel will move up to compete at 126 lbs for this event, testing his frame against heavier competition.
• 132 lbs — 16th Seed Walker Waidelich (New Richmond, Sr.): Ranked #8 at 132 lbs, the senior leader looks to set a strong pace ahead of his final high school season.

Middleweights (138 – 165 lbs)

The middleweight brackets stand as Wisconsin’s strongest presence, boasting high-ranked state talent:

• 138 lbs — 19th Seed Waylon Deaton (River Falls, Sr.): Ranked #5 in D1 at 138 lbs, Deaton is known for positional discipline and sharp hand-fighting.
• 138 lbs — 1st Seed Aidan Aure (River Falls, Sr.): Ranked #1 in Wisconsin D1 at 150 lbs, Aure makes a significant cut down to 138 lbs, immediately establishing himself as a marquee contender for a national podium spot.
• 138 lbs — 9th Seed Logan Steffen (Oregon, Sr.): Ranked #8 in D1 at 144 lbs, Steffen is a veteran senior with proven top-control skills.
• 144 lbs — 13th Seed Oliver Larson (River Falls, Sr.): Ranked #3 in D1 at 144 lbs, Larson leads a deep Wisconsin group with elite neutrality and late-round endurance.
• 144 lbs — 8th Seed Preston Schneider (Oshkosh North, Jr.): Ranked #4 in D1 at 144 lbs, Schneider is an explosive junior who continues his upward trajectory on the regional circuit.
• 144 lbs — Lincoln Lunsman (New Richmond, Sr.): Currently unranked, Lunsman adds further senior depth to a crowded bracket.
• 144 lbs — Spencer Prado (Kettle Moraine, Sr.): Ranked #8 at 150 lbs, Prado shifts down to 144 lbs, further loading this weight class with Badger State depth.
• 157 lbs — Gavin Mulloy (Waukesha West): Appearing on the state watch list, Mulloy steps onto the national stage seeking quality out-of-state wins.
• 157 lbs — 8th Seed Brexton Hoernke (River Falls): Ranked #5 at 175 lbs, Hoernke moves down two weight classes to 157 lbs, giving River Falls another heavily favored entrant in the middleweights.
• 165 lbs — 3rd Seed Caden Schwartz (Oregon, Jr.): Ranked #8 in D1 at 165 lbs, Schwartz brings physical toughness to a wide-open division.
• 165 lbs — Ben Hilbert (Appleton West, Sr.): On the state watch list, Hilbert is a senior aiming to leverage his experience against high-level opponents.

Upperweights (175 – 285 lbs)

• 215 lbs — 1st Seed Jacob Hutchins (River Falls, Sr.) — Augustana University Commit: Ranked #3 in D1 at 215 lbs, Hutchins is the premier upperweight representative for Wisconsin D1, combining Division II college credentials with elite leverage and mat control.
• 285 lbs — Rylie Kendziora (Kimberly, Jr.): Currently unranked, the junior heavyweight looks to measure his strength against upperclassmen from across the country.

Division 2 (D2)

Wisconsin’s Division 2 athletes feature several top-ranked state champions and finalists adjusting their weights to optimize postseason preparation.

Lightweights (113 – 132 lbs)

• 120 lbs — Drey Kren (Regis/Altoona, Jr.): Ranked #1 in D2 at 113 lbs, Kren bumps up to 120 lbs, testing his technical speed against larger frames.
• 120 lbs — Graysen Koepke (Port Washington, Jr.): Ranked #4 in D2 at 120 lbs, Koepke is a positionally sound junior capable of deep bracket runs.
• 120 lbs — Joseph Bellock (Mauston-Necedah): Currently unranked, Bellock enters as a dark horse seeking bracket-busting opportunities.
• 120 lbs  — Gregory Hellendrung (Chilton/Hilbert): Ranked #3 in D2 at 126 lbs, Hellendrung cuts to 120 lbs, compounding the state’s depth in the lower weights.
• 126 lbs — Malakai Barker (Osceola, Jr.): Ranked #2 in D2 at 120 lbs, Barker steps up to 126 lbs for this event.
• 126 lbs — Hunter Bench (Ellsworth, Jr.): Ranked #10 in D2 at 126 lbs, Bench represents one of Wisconsin’s most historic high school programs and relies on aggressive top work.
• 132 lbs — Phillip Steiger (Portage, Jr.): Currently unranked, Steiger enters as a junior competitor eager to make noise nationally.

Middleweights (144 – 165 lbs)

• 144 lbs — 19th Seed Hunter Kromrey (Osceola, Sr.): Ranked #5 in D2 at 144 lbs, Kromrey is a senior state contender with strong scrambles and senior leadership.
• 144 lbs — 7th Seed Ben Spalla (Wilmot Union, Jr.): Ranked #9 in D2 at 144 lbs, Spalla is a junior adept at close-margin, tactical matches.
• 150 lbs — Lane Hague (St. Croix Central): Appearing on the state watch list, Hague aims for a breakout national tournament performance.
• 157 lbs — 5th Seed Josiah Bastien (Luxemburg-Casco, So.): Ranked #7 in D2 at 157 lbs, the sophomore standout carries high expectations from a perennial power program.
• 157 lbs — Ryan Frank (Waupaca, Sr.): On the state watch list, Frank is a senior looking for a strong start to his final campaign.
• 157 lbs  — 1st Seed Mason Boulanger (Luxemburg-Casco, Jr.): Ranked #8 in D2 at 175 lbs, Boulanger drops down to 157 lbs.
• 165 lbs — 7th Seed Drayk Nolan (Chilton/Hilbert, Sr.): Ranked #6 in D2 at 165 lbs, Nolan brings senior state-medalist credentials and upper-middleweight power.

Upperweights (215 lbs)

• 215 lbs — 4th Seed Alvin Peterson (Somerset, Sr.): Ranked #3 in D2 at 175 lbs, Peterson provides high impact and pinning capabilities in the upper weights.

Division 3 (D3)

Small-school powerhouses from Wisconsin D3 bring proven podium contenders into the national field.

• 132 lbs  — Gunnar Lambert (Princeton/Green Lake, Sr.): Ranked #12 in D3 at 138 lbs, Lambert moves down to 132 lbs for tournament action.
• 138 lbs — 20th Seed Mason Malnory (Omro): Ranked #8 in D3 at 138 lbs, Malnory is a state placer reliant on efficient leg attacks and quick pace.
• 144 lbs — Colton Sharpie (Princeton/Green Lake, Sr.): Ranked #9 in D3 at 144 lbs, Sharpie provides strong neutral scoring capacity.
• 157 lbs — Brady Valentine (Barron, Sr.): Ranked #8 in D3 at 157 lbs, Valentine rounds out the state’s delegation with high-percentage pinning combination skills.

Regional Trends & Tournament Strategy

1. River Falls Lineup Depth: River Falls anchors the D1 presence with seven total entries. Headlined by state #1 Aidan Aure (cutting to 138), state #3 Oliver Larson (144), and Augustana commit #3 Jacob Hutchins (215), the program serves as a central focal point for Wisconsin’s national performance.
2. Aggressive Weight Management: Multiple elite Badger State wrestlers are utilizing the Preseason Nationals to test lower weight classes ahead of the high school season. Key drops to monitor include D1 #1 Aidan Aure (150 to 138), D1 #5 Brexton Hoernke (175 to 157), and D2 #8 Mason Boulanger (175 to 157).
3. Stacked 144-Pound Division: Between D1 and D2, Wisconsin sends five ranked wrestlers into the 144 lb weight class—Oliver Larson (#3 D1), Preston Schneider (#4 D1), Logan Steffen (#8 D1), Spencer Prado (#8 D1 moving from 150), and Hunter Kromrey (#5 D2)—making it the state’s most concentrated weight class of the event.