PRTC Wrestling

Brandon Slay Moving On from Executive Director of the PRTC

2025-04-22

After more than eight years of transformative leadership, Olympic Gold Medalist Brandon Slay will step down as Executive Director and Head Coach of the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center (PRTC). Slay and his family will relocate to Springdale, Arkansas this July, where he will take on a dual role as Executive Director of SportsLife Wrestling, a Christian-based leadership development organization, and Head Coach of the G1 Training Center, a new training facility focused on the development of youth, elite high school, and senior level wrestlers. Slay will immediately move on to the PRTC Board of Directors, continuing his service to the organization.

Doug Zapf Places 5th at U23 World Championships

2023-12-10

PRTC Senior Athlete Doug Zapf traveled to Tirana, Albania to compete in the U23 World Championships as a representative of Team USA at 70kg. Doug is the first PRTC athlete to compete for a world title at the U23 level.

In June, Doug won the U23 National Championship and was selected to represent Team USA at the prestigious event for U23 athletes from around the world. Doug wrestled well starting out strong while winning his first three matches. He would lose a close match in the semi-finals dropping him into the bronze medal match. Doug eventually placed 5th overall gaining value points for Team USA.

The US Men's Team won the tournament outscoring Turkey 148-113. Doug's contributions and experience proved to be valuable as he continues to grow in his senior athlete career. Here are his full results at 70kg:

70 kg – Doug Zapf (Downingtown, Pa., Pennsylvania RTC), Fifth place

WIN Benedikt Huber (Austria), tech. fall 12-1

WIN Ion Marcu (Moldova), dec. 7-0

WIN Orozobek Toktomambetov (Kyrgyzstan), dec. 3-3

LOSS Inalbek Sheriev (AIN), dec. 9-2

LOSS Kanan Heybatov (Azerbaijan), dec. 9-2

Doug is an original PRTC Developmental Athlete and his rise to competition will surely set the stage for future PRTC developmental athletes. Without the many supporters of the PRTC, these opportunities simply would not happen.

PRTC Senior Athlete David McFadden, made the trip to Albania as a delegate of Team USA and Doug's personal coach. The teammates continue to help each other on and off the mat. David and Doug both won gold medals at the Poland Open over the summer.

Click on the button below to view the full story from USA Wrestling about the U23 World Championships.

Happy Holidays From the Prtc!

2022-12-26

As 2022 comes to an end and we enjoy the holiday season, we want to take a moment to thank our supporters for helping us with another year of successful accomplishments. There is so much to be thankful for this past year. All of which would not be possible without you.

If you have not yet taken the opportunity to support the PRTC, please consider a year end donation to help us continue to do all the wonderful things shared below.

Donate Now

Our Year in Review…

We began the year hosting Summit 3. Several international events were canceled around this time. So, we made the effort to provide some competition at the senior level. Coaches and athletes from around the country and internationally traveled to South Jersey to participate in this live streamed event. Mark and David represented the PRTC at Summit 3 while coming away with two wins each and going undefeated for the day. We’re grateful to have the opportunity to serve others while competing.

Mark and David would go on to win US Open Championships in Las Vegas in April. This was Mark’s second National Championship in a row and David’s first major tournament win at the senior level. Doug Zapf, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania, won a bronze medal as well.

In May, Joey and Jordan each won Pan Am Championships in Acapulco, Mexico. This was Joey’s second time and Jordan’s fifth time winning Pan Am Gold. Jordan outscored his opponents 40-1 during the tournament.

Also in May, Joey and Mark each placed third in the World Team Trials establishing themselves on the US National Team. This is the first time Mark made the Senior National Team. Joey is now a three time National Team member.

Our partners at both Drexel and Penn traveled to Ohio in June for the U23/U20 Freestyle/Greco National Championships. A combined group of 32 athletes and several coaches made the trip to Geneva for this high level competition. With every athlete representing the PRTC, we came home with 7 All-Americans.

Also in June, Jordan competed in Final X in New York City. In an exciting match-up with Chance Marstellar at 79kg, Jordan won to make his 11th World Team.

In July, Joey and David traveled to Warsaw, Poland with Mark to compete in the Poland Open. Mark served as coach helping Joey and David each win silver medals in this prestigious international competition.

Tyler Berger joined the PRTC in August. In an effort to build our team and provide higher level training partners, we are grateful to have Tyler in Philly.

Competing at 70kg for the US National Team, Tyler is a perfect addition to our team and our culture. He and his wife, Sydnee, have comfortably settled in the city and now call Philadelphia their home.

In September, Jordan won his 7th World/Olympic gold medal at the World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. With this win, Jordan has more championship gold medals than any US wrestler in history. This is his second World Championship while training at the PRTC.

Also in September, the PRTC became the host of the prestigious Keystone Classic. Created by Coach Roger Reina over 26 years ago, the Keystone Classic is a premier early season NCAA tournament held on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in the Palestra. As host, the PRTC has added valuable revenue generating opportunities.

In October, Tyler and Joey traveled to Kazakhstan for the Kunayev DA international tournament. Both senior athletes won silver medals and cash prizes for their efforts. This was Tyler’s first international competition ever.

At the Keystone Classic in November, Jordan held a wrestling clinic between sessions. Hundreds of young wrestlers and fans of all ages showed up to support and learn from one of America’s greatest athletes. It was a great experience for all involved.

The final event of the year was the World Cup which was held in Coralville, Iowa this December. Jordan and Tyler represented the United States in the competition. Their efforts helped Team USA win the men’s freestyle team championship.

As we continue into 2023, our mission of enriching lives locally and globally through the sport of wrestling stays our main priority. We continue to do this by adhering to our core values of faith over fear, full effort, struggle well, and serve others. Click on the link below to listen as our senior athletes discuss our four core values.

PRTC Core Values

We thank you, again, for your continued support of the PRTC!

Thirty Two Prtc U23 Athletes Ready to Compete for World Team Spots

2022-06-03

Geneva, Ohio – The PRTC has entered a record number of athletes into the 2022 U23 World Team Trials. Thirty two student-athletes from Penn and Drexel have traveled west along with six PRTC coaches in an effort to qualify for a World Team.

This national event, held at the Spire Institute located near Cleveland, is a competition to earn a spot on the 2022 USA U23 World Team. The U23 World Championships will be held in Pontevedra, Spain in October. The top placewinner at each weight class in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman will represent Team USA.

Coaches LaFragola and Parker with Mickey O’Malley.

Drexel University, led by Head Coach Matt Azevedo and Assistant Coaches Scotty Parker, and CJ LaFragola, have entered 14 athletes in the Freestyle division. Leading the way for the Dragons is 2021 U23 World Team Trials Finalist, Mickey O’Malley. In 2020, O’Malley won the Junior Freestyle Nationals. He’ll be competing at 79kg this weekend.

The University of Pennsylvania has also entered 14 athletes in this prestigious weekend long event. Penn’s Associate Head Coach Bryan Pearsall and Assistant Coach B.J. Futrell will have some extra work ahead of them as three of the Penn athletes have entered in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman.

Ryan Miller, 2021 Pan American Silver Medalist.

Topping the list of talent for the Quakers, Michael Colaiocco(61kg) is a 2020 Finalist in U23 Freestyle, Ryan Miller(57kg) is a 2021 Junior Freestyle Finalist and Pan American Championship Silver Medalist, and Jake Hendricks(86kg/82kg) is a multiple time All-American in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman.

In addition to current local student-athletes, the PRTC will be represented by a few incoming freshman student-athletes. Sean Seefeldt(57kg), Nico Nardone(61kg), and Kyle Hauserman(65kg) have all made the trip to Geneva. Seefeldt, a native of Ohio and local fan favorite, is a 2021 USA Wrestling Central Regional Champion.

Senior Athlete and Former National Team Member Richard Perry will be coaching the PRTC this weekend.

Senior Athlete Richard Perry, a 2018 Senior World Team Trials Finalist, will be coaching this weekend alongside the Drexel and Penn coaches. Also, joining the PRTC coaching staff for the first time will be Doug Zapf. Zapf recently placed third at the 2022 Senior US Nationals. He’ll be coaching his teammates and training partners throughout the tournament as they seek to qualify for a trip to the World Championships.

All matches will be streamed live on FloWrestling. Wrestling begins at 10am EST on Friday June 3rd.

Below is the list of all PRTC participating athletes:

Freestyle:

57kg Antonio Mininno

57kg Desmond Pleasant

57kg Ryan Miller

57kg Sean Seefeldt

61kg Kyle Waterman

61kg Michael Colaiocco

61kg Lukas Richie

61kg Nico Nardone

65kg Deon Pleasant

65kg Kelly Dunnigan

65kg Carmen Ferrante

65kg Kyle Hauserman

70kg Gabe Onorato

70kg Vince Mannella

74kg Riley Onorato

74kg Tate Nichter

74kg Tanner Updegraff

74kg Jeremy Ridge

74kg Cole Spencer

79kg Mickey O’Malley

79kg Cody Walsh

79kg Jack Janda

79kg Nick Incontrera

79kg Jake Stefanowicz

86kg Josh Stillings

86kg Neil Antrassian

86kg Max Hale

86kg Jake Hendricks

86kg Jesse Martinez

92kg Cole Urbas

125kg Joe Timm

125kg Eli Anthony

Greco-Roman:

72kg Jeremy Ridge

77kg Jake Stefanowicz

82kg Jake Hendricks

Coaching Staff:

Matt Azevedo

Scotty Parker

CJ LaFragola

Bryan Pearsall

B.J. Futrell

Richard Perry

Doug Zapf

Joey McKenna and Mark Hall Qualify For National Team at 2022 World Team Trials

2022-05-23

Coralville, Iowa – The 2022 USA World Team Trials Challenge Tournament concluded on Sunday with the PRTC placing in three of the four weight classes where they had entered athletes. As a team, the PRTC placed sixth overall against some of the top RTCs in the country. The tournament, held in Extreme Arena, is the precursor to Final X, the last competition to decide the 2022 USA World Team scheduled to compete at the World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia later this year.

Doug Zapf, a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, represented the PRTC in his first ever senior level World Team Trials tournament. He went 1-2 on the weekend at 70kg against a tough field of former NCAA All-Americans, National Champions, and seasoned senior level competitors.

PRTC senior resident athletes Joey McKenna, David McFadden, and Mark Hall each battled their way through tough competition to gain placing. The top three finishers in each weight class qualify for National Team status. McKenna placed third while Hall placed second. McFadden fell short of qualifying with a fourth place finish.

Hall, competing at 86kg, lost in the best of three final match series to Zahid Valencia of Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club. Valencia will move on to Final X to compete against David Taylor (NLWC) for the World Team spot. This puts Hall at 3rd on the competitor ladder but still qualifies him for National Team status.

After losing his opening round match, McKenna battled back in dominating fashion to place third at 65kg. He went 4-1 on the weekend while out scoring his opponents 52-8. His placing puts McKenna on his third US National Team. He was a member of the 2018-19 team and is on the current 2021-22 team.

McFadden went 2-2 at 79kg. He started the tournament with a tech fall before losing to eventual champion Chance Marstellar (TMWC) 5-2 in the semi-finals. McFadden started his comeback with a dominating win over two time NCAA Champion Isaiah Martinez (BDRTC) before losing the third place match to Carter Starocci(NLWC). Marstellar will move on to Final X and compete against the PRTC’s Jordan Burroughs for the world team spot. Burroughs is the current World Champion at 79kg.

Below are the full results for the PRTC.

65kg Joey McKenna, 4-1, 3rd Place

LOSS Ian Parker (Cyclone RTC) 5-8

WIN Joshua Saunders (Spartan RTC) 10-0

WIN Patricio Lugo (Hawkeye WC) 10-0

WIN Nick Lee (NLWC) 13-3

WIN Ian Parker (Cyclone RTC) 11-0

70kg Doug Zapf, 1-2

LOSS Zain Retherford (NLWC) 1-4

WIN Jarod Verkleeren (Cavalier WC) 5-0

LOSS Tyler Berger (CAL/TMWC) 0-7

79kg David McFadden, 2-2, 4th Place

WIN Braden Thompson (Illinois) 10-0

LOSS Chance Marstellar (TMWC) 2-5

WIN Isaiah Martinez (BDRT) 14-7

LOSS Carter Starocci (NLWC) 2-10

86kg Mark Hall, 2-2, 2nd Place

WIN Caleb Hopkins (BCWC) 10-0

WIN Drew Foster (Panther WC) FALL

LOSS Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids WC) 0-6

LOSS Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids WC) 0-10

Prtc Ready to Compete at Wtt Challenge Tournament

2022-05-18

McKenna, Zapf, McFadden, and Hall will wrestle for a spot in Final X.

Philadelphia, PA – The seeds are set as the PRTC heads west for the 2022 US World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. Executive Director and Head Coach Brandon Slay is optimistic about his team’s chances in Coralville, Iowa.

Joey McKenna, 65kg Senior Athlete

“With our four guys competing, two are the automatic #1 seeds,” says Slay of David McFadden(79kg) and Mark Hall(86kg) who each recently became Senior National Champions securing the top spots in their respective brackets. At 65kg, Joey McKenna is the #3 seed while Doug Zapf has secured the #5 seed at 70kg. McKenna is a recent Olympic Trials finalist. Zapf, an undergraduate student-athlete at the University of Pennsylvania, won bronze at the Senior Nationals a few weeks ago.

Doug Zapf, 70kg Senior Athlete

“I feel like we are precisely where we want to be,” Slay added. “However, seeds don’t make the World Team…Full Effort wrestling makes the World Team.” Winners of the Challenge Tournament will compete at Final X for the chance to make the 2022 USA World Team. The World Championships will be held this fall in Belgrade, Serbia.

David McFadden, 79kg Senior Athlete

The current training cycle has been a productive one for the PRTC. Over the last several weeks, athletes from both domestic and international clubs have made their way to Philadelphia for the opportunity to train with the team. French Team Leader Pais Didier recently brought several of his athletes to the city for a two week training camp. “We are thankful that the PRTC welcomed us into the room,” says Didier. “We wish the team much success in upcoming competitions!”

Mark Hall, 86kg Senior Athlete

PRTC Senior Athlete, and current World Champion at 79kg, Jordan Burroughs will be awaiting the results of this weekend’s competition. Burroughs, in lieu of his current World Champion status, has a spot in Final X. He will face the winner of the Challenge Tournament in a best 2 of 3 series on June 8th in New York City.

Since becoming the leader of the PRTC in 2016, Slay is keenly aware of what the program has become in his time. “Humbly, the PRTC is on an upward trajectory because of our Board, our generous donors, and, most importantly, our wrestlers who have fully committed to our mission and core values,” he said. “Here’s the deal…our guys can wrestle. They can scrap. Their skills continue to impress me…but more importantly, they are genuine dudes. They are servants who seek to treat others the way they want to be treated, which continues to inspire me to be the best leader I can be.”

Competition at the Challenge Tournament begins on Saturday May 21st for all competitors and continues through Sunday May 22nd. Matches on both days will begin at 11am EST and will be streamed live on FloWrestling. For the complete schedule, go to USA Wrestling.

Here are the current seeds for the PRTC weight classes:

65 kg

1 Kendric Maple Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club

2 Yianni Diakomihalis Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC

3 Joseph McKenna Pennsylvania RTC/TMWC

4 Nick Lee Nittany Lion WC/TMWC

5 Matthew Kolodzik New York Athletic Club

6 Ian Parker Cyclone Regional Training Center C-RTC

7 Luke Pletcher Pittsburgh WC/TMWC

8 Evan Henderson Ohio RTC/TMWC

9 Patricio Lugo Hawkeye WC/TMWC

10 Dean Heil Oklahoma RTC/TMWC

11 Beau Bartlett Nittany Lion WC/TMWC

12 Carter Young Cowboy RTC/TMWC

13 Joshua Saunders Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC

70 kg

1 Alec Pantaleo Cliff Keen WC/TMWC

2 Ryan Deakin Wildcat WC/TMWC

3 Jordan Oliver Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club

4 Zain Retherford Nittany Lion WC/TMWC

5 Doug Zapf Pennsylvania RTC/TMWC

6 Michael Blockhus Gopher Wrestling Club – RTC

7 Sam Sasso Ohio RTC/TMWC

8 Tyler Berger California RTC/TMWC

9 Anthony Ashnault New York Athletic Club

10 Dayne Morton Wolves Wrestling Club

11 Jarod Verkleeren Cavalier Wrestling Club

79 kg

1 David McFadden Pennsylvania RTC/TMWC

2 Vincenzo Joseph California RTC/TMWC

3 Alex Dieringer Cliff Keen WC/TMWC

4 Carter Starocci Nittany Lion WC/TMWC

5 Chance Marsteller Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)

6 Isaiah Martinez Beaver Dam Wrestling RTC/TMWC

7 Taylor Lujan Panther Wrestling Club RTC/TMWC

8 Nick Reenan Wolfpack WC/TMWC

9 Brayden Thompson Illinois

86 kg

1 Mark Hall Pennsylvania RTC/TMWC

2 Zahid Valencia Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club

3 Pat Downey Florida

4 Trent Hidlay Wolfpack WC/TMWC

5 Drew Foster Panther Wrestling Club RTC

6 Marcus Coleman Cyclone Regional Training Center C-RTC

7 Owen Webster Gopher Wrestling Club – RTC

8 Caden Steffen Mustang Wrestling Club

9 Caleb Hopkins Buies Creek Wrestling Club

10 Julien Broderson Cyclone Regional Training Center C-RTC

11 Andrew Morgan Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC

Pictures by J. Mangan and T. Rotundo