New York USA Wrestling

Overview:

Entering the tournament as the #2 seed in the bracket; the Minisink Valley HS/KD Training Center senior posted a 3-0 record between Friday and Saturday; highlighted by back-to-back Day #1 wins over a pair of 2025 NCAA DI National Champions---Antrell Taylor (157) & Ridge Lovett (149)

The Penn State bound/#1 prospect in the class of 2025 completed his mission when he upended former 3x Collegiate AA/2021 UWW Junior World Bronze Medalist, Bryce Andonian!!

PATH TO FINAL X

Quarterfinals: 9-6 Decision over Antrell Taylor

Semifinals: 3-2 Decision over Ridge Lovett

Finals: 4-1 Decision over over Bryce Andonian

Up Next

It will be an All-Empire State Clash (S9 vs. S5) under the roof of the Prudential Center; as Duke will square off in the best-of-3 series against Hilton/Cornell living legend, Yianni Diakomihalis,,,

Earning the right to sit out this weekend's challenge tournament after winning the U.S. Open Last Month; Diakomihalis's resume speaks for itself as he is a former 4x NYSPHSAA DI State Champion; a former 4x NCAA DI National Champion; the 2022 UWW Senior World Runner-up; as well as a former 2x UWW Under-17 World Champion!!!

NOTE: Before going "all in" on trying to secure the voyage to Croatia; Duke will first shift his focus towards trying to repeat as an Under-20 World teamer at the end of May!

Overview:

Stepping on the mats just once each day between yesterday and today; the 4x UWW Senior World Champion/2x Olympic Bronze medalist hailing from Lansing proved that he remains "ageless" in terms of status near/at the top of the USA Wrestling hierarchy!!

His heroics in Louisville coming against opponents who combined for remarkable sums of 10 NCAA DI All-American distinction; EIGHT Collegiate finals appearances; and SIX DI crowns; the seasoned veteran bested up-and-comers Parker Keckeisen & Carter Starocci to live up to his top-billing (#1 seed) among the 86kg elite!!  

PATH TO FINAL X

Semifinals: 11-1 Tech Fall over Parker Keckeisen

Finals: 3-3 (criteria) Decision over Carter Starocci


Up Next

Suffering his first loss to a fellow American opponent since 2017 when he dropped an 8-4 decision last month in the finals of the U.S. Open; Dake will get his shot at redemption/vengeance when he heads to New Jersey for a rematch with Zahid Valencia!!!

The Stars + Stripes guaranteed to send a medal threat to Zagreb no matter who wins on June 14th; in addition to his glory days as an Arizona State Sun Devil (3x NCAA DI All-American/2x National Champion); Valencia was a Senior World Bronze medalist in 2023!!!

The last time that these two standouts met with the trip to the Senior World Championships at stake; Dake swept the best-of-3 series in 2018 at 79kg!

Summary

Falling short in her semifinal contest against Brooklyn Hays (2025 U.S. Open Bronze; 2024 UWW U23 World 5th; 2024 Senior Pan-American Gold Medalist; 4th at the 2024 Olympic Trials); the 3x NAIA National finalist/2025 Champion on behalf of Life University [McBryde] battled back to end her weekend in Kentucky on a two-match winning streak!!!

Squaring off against the respective 6th and 5th-place performers from last month's U.S. Open; the Buffalo area native was able to register identical verdicts of 10-0 TF and 10-0 TF at the expense of Gretchen Donally and Destiny Lyng!

In the consolation semifinal showdown versus the former [Donally; 4th at the 2024 Senior Women's Trials; 2x Women's Nationals U20 Bronze Medalist; Former 2x Fargo Junior All-American; 2025 NCWWC Blood-Rounder]; McBryde accrued four total takedowns and a 2pt exposure (while in the process of trying to convert a TD) to earn the superiority victory at the 4:40 mark!

In the 3rd-place/Bronze Medal collision of former NAIA Queen [Lyng; 5x Collegiate All-American/2022 NAIA National Champion] versus current NAIA titlist [McBryde]; the New Yorker picked up where she left off last night; as she built a 6-0 edge at the break behind three separate takedowns...

She'd then use a trip to set up a pancake during the first 20 ticks of the 2nd period to earn a 4-pointer that punctuated her 3:20 of utter dominance!!

Men's Freestyle

79kg- Muhamed McBryde: 0-2/DNP


Women's Freestyle

59kg- Michaela Beck: 1-1 (Medical withdraw)/DNP
59kg- Emily Frost: 1-2/DNP
72kg- Joye Levendusky: 0-2/DNP

MEN'S FREESTYLE (NYers in bold):

57kg: Spencer Lee (2024 Olympic Medalist) vs. Luke Lilledahl (2025 U.S. Open Champ)
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61kg: Vito Arujau (2024 World Medalist) vs. Jax Forrest (2025 U.S. Open Champ)
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65kg: Joey McKenna (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Real Woods (2025 WTT Champ)
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70kg: Yianni Diakomihalis (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. PJ Duke (2025 WTT Champ)
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74kg: Mitchell Mesenbrink (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. David Carr Jr. (2025 WTT Champ)
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79kg: Evan Wick (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Levi Haines (2025 WTT Champ)
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86kg: Zahid Valencia (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Kyle Dake (2025 WTT Champ)
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92kg: Trent Hidlay (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Joshua Barr (2025 WTT Champ)
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97kg: Hayden Zillmer (2025 WTT Champ) vs. TBD (pending outcome of the Kyle Snyder legal situation)
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125kg: Wyatt Hendrickson (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Trent Hillger (2025 WTT Champ)
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WOMEN'S FREESTYLE

50kg: Audrey Jimenez (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Erin Golston (2025 WTT Champ) 
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53kg: Brianna Gonzalez (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Felicity Taylor (2025 WTT Champ)
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55kg: Cristelle Rodriguez (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Everest Leydecker (2025 WTT Champ)
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57kg: Helen Maroulis (2024 Olympic Medalist) vs. Amanda Martinez (2025 U.S. Open Champ)
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59kg: Abigail Nette (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Jacarra Winchester (2025 WTT Champ)
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62kg: Kayla Miracle (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Adaugo Nwachukwu (2025 WTT Champ)
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65kg: Macey Kilty (2024 World Medalist) vs. Aine Drury (2025 U.S. Open Champ)
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68kg: Kennedy Blades (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Brooklyn Hays (2025 WTT Champ)
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72kg: Alexandria Glaude (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Amit Elor (2025 WTT Champ)
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76kg: Kylie Welker (2025 U.S. Open Champ) vs. Dymond Guilford (2025 WTT Champ)