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Iowa readies for battle at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

by:Tanner Lafever•05/15/25•

TannerLafever

Michael Caliendo
Michael Caliendo is one of seven Hawkeyes set to lay it all on the line in Louisville. (Photo Credit: University of Iowa Athletics)

The freestyle season continues this week for the Iowa wrestling program(s).

Louisville, Kentucky plays host to the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament – settling the remaining qualifiers for Final X next month.

Among a field comprised of some of America’s top wrestling talent, seven past/present/future Hawkeyes will join the fray.

On the men’s side, a pair of entries help to make up the field at 65 kilograms.

Pre-seeded fifth, Iowa alum Real Woods returns to the mat after finishing fourth at last month’s US Open. He’ll be joined in the bracket by a future Hawkeye – #1 overall 2026 prospect Bo Bassett – who’s seeded third.

Additionally, current standout Michael Caliendo – pre-seeded fourth at 74kg – will make his first freestyle appearance since 2022.

Meanwhile, over on the women’s side a quartet of wrestlers with Hawkeye ties will compete across three different weight classes.

2024 graduates Felicity Taylor and Marlynne Deede are back in action after competing at the US Open three weeks ago. Taylor is the #1 pre-seed at 53kg after finishing runner up in Las Vegas. Deede is pre-seeded third at 76kg – one spot higher than her US Open finish.

Joining them in Louisville are current Hawks Emily Frost (#7 at 59kg) and Naomi Simon (#5 at 76kg).

Frost continues to compete at every available opportunity this summer – qualifying for this event via her sixth-place finish at the US Open. Simon hasn’t been on the mat since early April, when she pinned her way to a second-consecutive U20 World Team spot.

Setting the stage

As we touched on briefly already, the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament serves as the final qualifying event for Final X – which, for those who don’t know, is the name of the best-of-three series contested this June which will determine the 20 men’s/women’s freestyle representatives for the United States at the 2025 World Championships.

The 20 winners at April’s US Open automatically punched their tickets to Final X. They joined four 2024 World/Olympic medalists who’d already qualified thanks to their medals won last year – so long as they’re competing at the same weight in 2025.

Via the former criteria, Kennedy Blades, Brianna Gonzalez and Kylie Welker are all in Final X as US Open champs. Conversely, Spencer Lee (2024 Olympic silver) and Macey Kilty (2024 World bronze) are in via the latter.

We’ll see if Iowa can add to its five-person tally this weekend.

Men’s Freestyle – 65 kilograms

Starting with men’s freestyle, 65 kilograms is a weight to watch for multiple reasons (and wrestlers).

If you’re Real Woods, your only defeats at the US Open came against the same opponent – both times in matches you led in the final minute. That foe, Stanford freshman Aden Valencia – younger brother of Iowa women’s wrestler Nyla Valencia – is in this field too. And wouldn’t you know it, if pre-seeds hold, they’ll hit again in their opening match this weekend.

Funnily enough, Valencia was 0-4 last year against Iowa’s other entry at 65kg – Bo Bassett.

Bassett, a high school senior-to-be, isn’t completely unfamiliar with senior-level competition either. Last spring, he fell one win shy of the US Olympic Trials – finishing runner up at the Last Chance Qualifier. At that event he not only bested Valencia (7-4), but also teched 2019 undefeated NCAA champion Anthony Ashnault (12-2).

He’s not going to be intimidated by the stage nor the age (of opponent) he’ll face in Louisville.

That’ll be even more important given that 65kg is arguably the deepest field of any at the trials.

In addition to Woods, four other entries have made/won an NCAA final. That list obviously doesn’t include the likes of Bassett/Valencia, nor another youngster – Marcus Blaze – who’s already defeated numerous senior-level opponents prior to his high school graduation, albeit all of them at either 57 or 61 kilograms.

This bracket includes a pair of US Open runners up in Seth Gross (61kg) and Jesse Mendez (65kg).

I have no idea who’ll ultimately win. But I’m fascinated to see just about every possible permutation of every possible matchup that 65kg has to offer.

Men’s Freestyle – 74 kilograms

Iowa’s third and final men’s freestyle participant is a bit of a paradox.

On one hand, Michael Caliendo is about as known of a (folkstyle) quantity as it gets.

Just once during his three-year college career has he lost a match to a non-NCAA champion. Just once. And never as a Hawkeye.

This past season, all three of his losses came against Penn State superstar Mitchell Mesenbrink – the latter two in competitive affairs in the Big Ten/NCAA title bouts.

Only one of his 24 victories came by three or fewer points – and 46 days later Caliendo teched that same foe (21-6).

But this is freestyle season – and we haven’t seen Mikey compete in this discipline since 2022.

How does he fare amidst a bracket mixed with both seasoned senior freestylers and recent college All-Americans?

Against the latter – all seeded below him – I think I like his chances:

  • #5 Terrel Barraclough (5th at 165)
  • #6 Peyton Hall (3rd at 165)
  • #7 Joseph Blaze (2nd at 157)

Hall was Caliendo’s semifinal opponent in Philadelphia back in March – a comfortable win for the Hawkeye.

Meanwhile, each of the three wrestlers seeded above him are well-versed at the senior level.

The most dangerous of them is #1 seed David Carr.

Not only was the former Cyclone the US Open runner up, but he’s a past age-level World champion as well. As a collegian, Carr won a pair of NCAA titles. The second of those came in 2024 – the same season during which he defeated Caliendo 16-4 at the Cy-Hawk dual.

Mind you, Caliendo isn’t a total freestyle neophyte. His last appearance – at the U20 US Open – included a third-place finish and a win over Penn State national champion Levi Haines.

Women’s Freestyle – 53 kilograms

Iowa’s best chance at another Final X’er may very well come from the women’s 53-kilogram division.

There, Felicity Taylor enters the challenge tournament as the #1 pre-seed fresh off a loss to her own college teammate, Brianna Gonzalez.

If she wants to set up another all-Hawkeye matchup, two tough matches stand in her way.

Taylor could face either of two former NCWWC champions – Jaslynn Gallegos (2x) or Sydney Petzinger (2025) – in her semifinal.

*Taylor defeated Petzinger 5-2 at the US Open.

That (likely) sets the table for a final against either of the other top contenders at 53kg – #2 Katie Gomez or #3 Sage Mortimer. Neither opponent – previous age-level World champions both – presents an easy task. But I think Mortimer would be the preferrable matchup so long as you limit her big-move potential.

Taylor also has prior (unsuccessful) history with Gomez, losing 7-2 back in 2023.

Women’s Freestyle – 59 kilograms

Far be it for me to put a ceiling on any Iowa wrestler this weekend. That said, if any Hawkeye enters the challenge tournament with next-to-no expectations it’s probably Emily Frost.

The junior-to-be qualified thanks to her top-seven US Open finish (sixth). That came only two weeks after she took fifth at U20 World Team Trials.

As the #7 seed at 59 kilograms, a host of contenders seeded above her having previously defeated Frost in competition. Three of those losses have come within the past calendar year – all via bonus points.

Frost’s lone win against the field (that I can find) was a pin over #8 Ashley Wetzal at a college open back in February.

Whatever happens in Louisville, the experience, not the results, figures to be the most valuable takeaway for the 20-year-old Hawkeye.

Women’s Freestyle – 76 kilograms

Iowa’s final two entries of the event come in the form of a pair at 76 kilograms.

For #3 Marlynne Deede, the hope is to crack into the rock-solid top two of Yelena Makoyed and Dymond Guilford that appear destined to meet in the final.

Deede – a two-time NCWWC champion – took fourth at the US Open, losing only to Guilford and fellow Hawkeye Kylie Welker.

Thankfully, Welker won’t be in this bracket, but Guilford very much will be. Deede lost via fall when they met at the Open, trailing 8-0.

On the flip side (of the bracket) Naomi Simon looks to make a dent at her second-ever Senior-level tournament.

After a thoroughly impressive freshman season (3/4 losses coming against Welker), we’ll see how Simon stacks up against the next tier down at 76kg.

Besting either of Makoyed/Guilford are dream scenarios, of course. But more realistic for the 18-year-old may be swings at Deede or #4 Tristan Kelly.

Kelly, a recent NCWWC champ (at 207 pounds) with plenty of Senior-level experience, is where I’ll have my eye in the early going. Both she (2022) and Simon (2024) are past U20 World bronze medalists. Assuming pre-seeds go unchanged, they’ll open against one another in the quarterfinals.

I expect Simon to wrestle to her (#5) seed barring a sizable shakeup with the bracket. Climb any higher up the podium than that, and she’s really done something of extra note this weekend.

How to watch

As with all Team USA events, FloWrestling will be your exclusive streaming location for action this weekend.

The World Team Trials Challenge Tournament spans two days, beginning Friday morning in Louisville.

Men’s and women’s competition will be held simultaneously on the 16th. Then on Saturday (May 17th) the women will kick things off around lunchtime followed by the men.

**all times Central Standard**

Friday, May 16th  

9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

  • Senior Men’s and Women’s Freestyle
  • Preliminaries and Quarterfinals

3:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. 

  • Senior Women’s and Men’s Freestyle  
  • Semifinals and ALL Consolations 

Saturday, May 17th 

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

  • Senior Women’s Freestyle
  • Finals and 3rd place matches

12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

  • Senior Men’s Freestyle
  • Finals and 3rd place matches

If you’re wanting to look at brackets, set match alerts, etc. USA Bracketing is your go-to place (free account required). All other information about the event can be found HERE.

I’ll also be covering things on social media both days. You’ll be able to get immediate updates there, and then I’ll publish a full recap on the site once things have wrapped up on Saturday afternoon.

Short time

Alright folks, that’s all I’ve got.

Here’s hoping you get to follow as much of the action as possible over the next two days. And regardless of what you may see/miss, be sure to check back in later this weekend for my in-depth recap of the entire tournament.

I sure would appreciate it!

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