PRTC Wrestling

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.

PRTC Set for 2026 US Open in Las Vegas

2026-04-22

Philadelphia, PA - The Pennsylvania Regional Training Center (PRTC) is set to compete at the 2026 US Open, held April 22-26 at The Expo at World Market Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The US Open serves as one of the premier events on the domestic competition calendar, with Senior champions earning qualification to the US World Team Trials, Final X, and a chance to represent Team USA at the World Championships.

The PRTC will be represented across both the Senior Men's Freestyle division and the U20 Nationals, continuing to showcase the depth of the program from developing athletes to Senior-level contenders.

Senior Level Competitors

Max Gallagher, 57kg

Gallagher enters the US Open as the 7th seed. He's had a strong collegiate career at the University of Pennsylvania as a two-time NCAA Championship Qualifier. Gallagher represented Team USA at the U23 World Championships in 2024. Known for his pace and ability to create offense from neutral, Gallagher has transitioned effectively into freestyle competition within the PRTC system.

Sean Seefeldt, 74kg

Seefeldt recently competed at the 2026 NCAA Championships representing Penn on the national stage. A tough and reliable competitor, he has been a key contributor in the Quakers' lineup and brings valuable high-level experience into the Senior freestyle division.

Martin Cosgrove, 97kg

Cosgrove competes at 97kg and brings size, strength, and solid positional control to the upper weights in this tournament. He was a U20 All-American having made it to the finals in 2022. Cosgrove's experience has helped him build momentum as he competes at the Senior level for the first time.

U20 Nationals Competitors

Deven Casey, 61kg

Casey has built a reputation as one of the top young talents in the Penn room. An Illinois native, he has earned success at major age-group events and continues to develop his freestyle skill set within the PRTC room.

Donny Almeyda, 70kg

Almeyda is a dynamic offensive wrestler with experience competing at national-level tournaments. His ability to generate points from multiple positions makes him a dangerous opponent in the U20 field.

Caden Bellis, 74kg

Bellis is completing his freshman year at Penn. He secured his spot as the 174lb starter early in the season and never looked back. Bellis represented the Quakers at the Ivy Championships this spring narrowly missing a national qualifying spot. His freestyle acumen is high and he'll definitely turn some heads in Vegas.

Elliott Humphries, 79kg

Humphries has consistently placed at competitive national events and is know to be a fierce opponent. His continued development has positioned him to compete deep into brackets at the U20 level.

Xander Kuokkanen, 86kg

Kuokkanen brings a physical, hard nosed style and has competed in high-level folkstyle and freestyle events. His progression within the Penn wrestling room over the past year will help him be a strong contender at 86kg.

Greyson Meak, 97kg

Meak's combination of size and athleticism has led to success at the regional and national levels. He continues to evolve technically and will look to make an impact in a competitive 97kg bracket.

John Pardo, 125kg

Pardo anchors the group at heavyweight. A consistent performer at the national level, he uses his athleticism and mat awareness to control matches and create scoring opportunities.

According to PRTC leadership, the US Open is one of the most important benchmarks in the sport when it comes to freestyle. To have athletes competing across both the Senior level and U20 divisions reflects the direction of the PRTC from where they've been to where they're headed. Competition for Senior Men's Freestyle is set for April 24-25, with U20 Nationals taking place on April 25-26 as part of the overall US Open schedule.

The Pennsylvania Regional Training Center remains committed to developing world-class athletes while building a sustainable pipeline of talent from the developmental and collegiate levels to the international stage. For updates and results throughout the tournament, follow the PRTC on social media. All matches will be streamed live on FloWrestling.

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