AKRON, Ohio – A strong contingent of University of Pennsylvania wrestlers competed in the U23 World Team Trials over the weekend, with three Quakers earning top-eight finishes.
 
Anthony Artalona wrestled his way to a pair of All-American finishes, one of just five wrestlers to finish in the top-eight in both Greco and freestyle. He was joined as an All-American in Greco by Jake Hendricks, and in freestyle by incoming freshman Michael Colaiocco.
 
Rising sophomore Anthony Artalona doubled up in terms of podium finishes, earning All-American honors in both Greco (third) and freestyle (seventh). Artalona went 12-3 over his two days of work which included a win in his Greco third place match over Stanford's Tyler Eischens – who recently won the Junior World Team Trials at 72kg. Artalona took the long road back to seventh place at 74kg in freestyle after a tough loss in the first round. Undaunted, Artalona rattled off six consecutive wins in the consolation bracket before three-time NCAA qualifier Taleb Rahmani of Pittsburgh knocked Artalona off, 12-6, in the consolation quarterfinals. Artalona would rally for a 6-4 win over Anthony Wokasch from American to take seventh and secure his second All-American finish of the weekend.
 
Also in Greco, Jake Hendricks finished sixth after advancing to the semifinals where he was edged by two-time returning U23 World Team member Jesse Porter, 3-2. After that loss, Hendricks looked to be on his way to a win in the consolation semifinals where he held an early 4-0 lead before suffering an injury and defaulting out.
 
Incoming freshman Michael Colaiocco went 5-1 in the tournament, his lone loss coming to eventual champion Gabriel Townsell – a three-time NCAA qualifier at Stanford. Along the way, Colaiocco scored wins over five wrestlers who have already competed collegiately.
 
Artalona took the long road back to seventh place at 74kg in freestyle after a tough loss in the first round. Undaunted, Artalona rattled off six consecutive wins in the consolation bracket before three-time NCAA qualifier Taleb Rahmani of Pittsburgh knocked Artalona off, 12-6, in the consolation quarterfinals. Artalona would rally for a 6-4 win over Anthony Wokasch from American to take seventh and secure his second All-American finish of the weekend.
 
U23 Freestyle Results
57kg – #3 Michael Colaiocco (Third Place)
First Round: Bye
Second Round: def. Brady Kyner (Wartburg), 13-2 (2:30)
Third Round: def. Christopher Sharp (Knights Wrestling Club), 12-2 (1:46)
Quarterfinals: def. Jakob Campbell (Buffalo Valley RTC), 10-4
Semifinals: lost to #2 Gabriel Townsell (Stanford RTC), 10-0 (0:28)
Consolation Semis: def. Nicolas Aguilar (NJRTC), 11-4
Third Place Match: def. Paxton Rosen (Campbell), 14-4 (4:16)
 
57kg – Blair Orr
First Round: lost to Cameron Butler (Clarion RTC), 15-4 (4:29)
Consolation First Round: lost to Jace Koelzer (Northern Colorado), 14-4 (4:56)
 
65kg – Gianni Ghione
First Round: lost to Aaron Coleman (Husky Elite), 18-8 (5:39)
Consolation First Round: lost to Rashaun Cooley (Clarion RTC), 10-0 (4:15)
 
74kg - #2 Anthony Artalona (Seventh Place)
First Round: Bye
Second Round: lost to Philip Conigliaro (Unattached), 10-7
Consolation First Round: def. Austin Reed (Brockport), 10-0 (0:31)
Consolation Second Round: def. Kelby Hawkins (Jackrabbit WC), 10-0 (1:49)
Consolation Third Round: def. Shane Gantz (Grizzly WC), 7-3
Consolation Fourth Round: def. Noah Grover (Unattached), 12-0 (2:16)
Consolation Fifth Round: def. Kolby Ho (George Mason), 14-2 (5:53)
Consolation Sixth Round: def. Evan Barczak (PRTC), 2-2
Consolation Quarterfinals: lost to #6 Taleb Rahmani (Pittsburgh WC), 12-6
Seventh Place Match: def. Anthony Wokasch (DCAC), 6-4
 
74kg - #4 May Bethea (Class of 2018, Director of Operations)
First Round: Bye
Second Round: def. Dillon Hoey (Indiana), 10-0 (1:12)
Third Round: def. Nathan Atienza (Michigan State), 14-4 (4:37)
Fourth Round: def. Anthony Wokasch (DCAC), 5-1
Quarterfinals lost to Justin Thomas (Oklahoma), 8-2
 
74kg – Willy Kaiser
First Round: def. Matthew Burns (Knights WC), 11-0 (1:33)
Second Round: def. Davey Tunon (Indiana), FALL (0:15)
Third Round: lost to Taylor Brown (West Point RTC), 14-3 (3:33)
Consolation Third Round: lost to Chris Barker (Bearcat WC), 14-4 (5:07)
 
74kg – Adam Kirsch
First Round: lost to Evan Fisler (Gannon), 14-3 (3:26)
Consolation First Round: lost to Brett Johnson (Knights WC), 10-0 (1:27)
 
74kg – Jeremy Ridge
First Round: lost to AJ Burkhart (Lehigh Valley RTC), 10-0 (4:26)
Consolation First Round: def. Luke Ewing (Griffins WC), 11-0 (4:16)
Consolation Second Round: def. Caleb Cass (Cleveland State), 12-2 (2:12)
Consolation Third Round: lost to Nathan Atienza (Michigan State), 10-0 (0:41)
 
79kg – Jason Montgomery
First Round: lost to Joseph Walker (Mishawaka WC), 9-1 (3:30)
Consolation First Round: def. Chase Archangelo (Cleveland State), 9-8
Consolation Second Round: lost to Gavin Stika (Cowboy RTC), 11-0 (4:55)
 
U23 Greco Results
72kg - #5 Anthony Artalona (Third Place)
First Round: def. Raun Smith (Marines), 8-0 (0:20)
Second Round: def. Austen Laughlin (Unattached), 8-0 (1:39)
Quarterfinals: def. #4 Connor Myers (U.S. Army), 10-3
Semifinals: lost to #1 Lenny Merkin (NJRTC), 6-1
Consolation Semifinals: def. Riley Briggs (NMU OTC), 6-3
Third Place Match: def. #2 Tyler Eischens (Stanford RTC), 7-5
 
72kg – Jeremy Ridge
First Round: lost to Jake Drexler (Wisconsin), 3-0
Consolation First Round: lost to Riley Briggs (NMU OTC), FALL (1:24)
 
77kg - #4 Jake Hendricks (Sixth Place)
First Round: Bye
Second Round: def. Alex Donovan (Centenary), 9-0 (0:52)
Quarterfinals: def. Brett Johnson (Knights WC), 8-0 (0:33)
Semifinals: lost to #1 Jesse Porter (NYAC), 3-2
Consolation Semifinals: lost to Zachary Tolver (NMU OTC), Injury Default, 0:48