PRTC Wrestling

Darian Cruz Takes Silver at Central American & Caribbean Games

2026-08-04

PRTC senior athlete Darian Cruz earned a Silver Medal at 57 kg representing Puerto Rico at the Central American and Caribbean Games!

This podium finish marks a strong opening statement in Darian's dedicated build toward the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Darian navigated a tough international field at 57kg to earn his spot on the podium:

Round of 16: WIN vs. Jackson (Jamaica) Forfeit

Quarterfinals: WIN vs. Leete (Dominican Republic) 5-1 Decision

Semifinals: WIN vs. Mejias (Venezuela) 2-1 Decision

Gold Medal Match: LOSS vs. Roman Bravo-Young (Mexico) 11-0 Tech Fall

All-In for LA 2028 & Back with Coach Santoro

This performance comes on the heels of a major career shift. Darian recently stepped down from his position as Assistant Coach at the University of Pennsylvania to transition into a full-time senior athlete for the PRTC.

This move also officially reunites Darian with Pat Santoro, his college head coach at Lehigh University. Together, the duo reached the peak of folkstyle wrestling when Darian captured the 2017 NCAA Championship at 125 lbs alongside three All-American honors.

Having Coach Santoro back in his corner brings powerful momentum as Darian builds on his 2024 Paris Olympic run and sets his sight squarely on the podium in Los Angeles.

"Stepping into a full-time athlete role at the PRTC allows me to devote 100% of my energy to this Olympic cycle. Reuniting with Coach Santoro brings everything full circle...we’ve hit the highest level together before, and having him in my corner gives me complete confidence as we push toward LA28." — Darian Cruz

Follow the Journey

Every international competition is a step closer to LA28. Thank you to our PRTC community for making it possible for world-class athletes like Darian to train and compete at the highest level right here in Philadelphia.

PRTC Sending Athletes to Mongolia for Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series Event

2026-05-25

Philadelphia, PA - The Pennsylvania Regional Training Center (PRTC) will be represented on the international stage at the upcoming Ulaanbaatar Open, a United World Wrestling Ranking Series event taking place June 4-7 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Competing for the PRTC will be:

Darian Cruz - 57 kg (representing Puerto Rico)
CJ Composto - 65 kg (representing the United States)
Cross Wasilewski - 70kg (representing the United States)

PRTC Coach Matt Valenti will accompany the athletes to Mongolia for the tournament.

The Ulaanbaatar Open annually attracts elite international competition, providing athletes the opportunity to test themselves agains many of the world's top freestyle wrestlers while earning valuable international experience and ranking points.

"This is an incredible opportunity for our PRTC athletes to test themselves against some of the best in the world," said Valenti. "Darian, CJ, and Cross have put in some great work in preparation for this event and we're excited to let them show out in Mongolia. A huge thank you to USA Wrestling and the PRTC for supporting us as we represent on the international scene."

Composto and Wasilewski will be the only representatives of the United States competing in the tournament while Cruz will compete under the flag of Puerto Rico.

Composto and Wasilewski enter the event following standout collegiate seasons. Both earned All-American honors this past March at the NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Championships in Cleveland, Ohio, each finishing 7th nationally. Composto is now a three-time NCAA All-American and recently signed a professional contract to compete for the PRTC at the international level.

"I am looking forward to competing in Mongolia with my teammates Cross and Darian," said Composto. "We have been working hard and wrestling a lot in the room and are ready to give full effort."

For Wasilewski, the event presents a rare and valuable opportunity for summer competition against world class competition.

"It's going to be an exciting opportunity to wrestle some of the best in the world," said Wasilewski. "As a college athlete, there's not many competitions to sharpen your skills during the summer. Through the support of USA Wrestling and the PRTC, I am pumped to lay it on the line and grow from this experience."

All three athletes will begin competition on Saturday, June 6 at 10:30 pm EST.

The Pennsylvania Regional Training Center continues to provide opportunities for athletes to compete and develop at the highest levels of wrestling, building international experience while advancing the broader mission of the Philly Wrestling ecosystem through elite performance, development, and global competition.

PRTC Athletes Earn Multiple Medals at 2026 Pan Am Championships

2026-05-11

Coralville, Iowa - The Pennsylvania Regional Training Center sent four athletes to compete at the 2026 Senior Pan American Championships this weekend in Coralville, Iowa, as some of the top wrestlers from across North, Central, and South America took to the mat in one of the premier international events on the wrestling calendar.

Hosted by United World Wrestling and USA Wrestling, the Pan American Championships featured elite competition across all three Olympic disciplines. Team USA captured the men's freestyle team title with 240 points, while Puerto Rico earned an impressive runner-up finish with 150 points.

Representing Puerto Rico at 57kg, Darian Cruz advanced to the gold medal match with strong wins over Venezuela's Pedro Mejias, 4-1, and the Dominican Republic's Juan Ramirez, 13-11. Cruz ultimately dropped a narrow 5-44 decision to Team USA's Liam Cronin in the championship bout to earn a silver medal.

At 74kg, Adam Thomson represented Canada and battled to a bronze medal finish. Thomson opened the tournament with a 5-3 victory over the Dominican Republic's Carlos Rodriguez before falling in a tight 6-5 match to Cuba's Garzon-Tamay. He rebounded in dominant fashion with a 10-0 technical fall over Mexico's Palacios to secure his place on the podium.

Competing at 92kg for Puerto Rico, Shane Jones put together one of the strongest performances of the weekend. Jones earned victories over Canada's Johnson, 8-2, and Brazil's Bordeaux, 11-1, before falling to reigning World Champion and eventual gold medalist Trent Hidlay of the United States. Jones closed the event with a medical forfeit victory over Peru's Ambrocio to claim a bronze medal.

At 97kg, Edwin Morales opened his tournament with a dominant 10-0 technical fall over Mexico's Valverde. Morales later dropped matches to Cuba's Arturo Silot-Torres and the Dominican Republic's Perez in a competitive international bracket that featured several of the top wrestlers in the Americas.

The Pennsylvania RTC continues to make an impact on the international stage, with athletes representing multiple nations while competing against World and Olympic level talent. The event in Coralville showcased the growth of wrestling throughout the Pan American region and provided high level competition ahead of the upcoming World Championship season.

PRTC Senior Athletes to Compete at Pan Ams

2026-05-07

Coralville, Iowa - The Pennsylvania RTC is set to have strong representation on the international stage this weekend at the 2026 Pan American Championships in Coralville, Iowa, as four athletes will compete agains some of the top freestyle wrestlers in the Western Hemisphere. Hosted by USA Wrestling, the event will feature elite competitors from across North, Central, and South America, with all matches streamed live on FloWrestling.

Representing Puerto Rico will be Darian Cruz at 57kg, Shane Jones at 92kg, and Edwin Morales at 97kg. Representing Canada at 74kg will be Adam Thomson. Thomson is scheduled to compete on Saturday, May 9th, while Cruz, Jones, and Morales will all take the mat on Sunday, May 10th.

Cruz continues to be one of the most accomplished athletes training with the PRTC. A former NCAA Champion and All-American at Lehigh University, Cruz represented Puerto Rico internationally on multiple occasions and brings extensive experience to the Pan American stage. Cruz is a three-time Pan American medalist.

Jones has steadily developed into a dangerous upper-weight freestyle competitor through his work at the PRTC. Competing at 92kg, Jones has built a reputation for his physical style and offensive pressure while continuing to gain valuable international experience representing Puerto Rico. Jones is also a three-time Pan American medalist.

Morales enters the championships at 97kg after continuing to progress within the RTC system and international freestyle circuit. His size, athleticism, and commitment to development have helped him emerge as an important representative for Puerto Rico on the senior level. This will be Morales' first time competing at the Pan American Championships.

Thomson, representing Canada at 74kg, has become a key training partner and competitor within the PRTC room. A technically skilled freestyle wrestler with strong positional awareness, Thomson continues to compete at a high level internationally while helping elevate the daily training environment within the program. Thomson is a two-time Pan American medalist.

The Pennsylvania RTC is proud to support its athletes as they compete internationally and represent both their countries and the RTC community on one of the premier stages in Pan American wrestling.