Takedown Report

NATION’S TOP YOUNG ATHLETES EXPECTED FOR THE WORLD’S LARGEST TOURNAMENT, THE USMC JUNIOR & 16U NATIONALS IN FARGO, N.D., JULY 15-22

By Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling | July 07, 2023
FARGO, N.D. – Every year, the nation’s best young wrestlers come together for the world’s largest wrestling competition, the 2023 U.S Marine Corps Junior and 16U Nationals at the Fargodome on the campus of North Dakota State in Fargo, N.D.

In 2022, the Junior/16U Nationals set a new participation record, with a combined 6,646 participants in the six national tournaments. Five of the six tournaments in 2022 saw growth over the previous year. Based upon preliminary registration from USA Wrestling’s state associations, organizers expect another new record this year, with the possibility of going over the 7,000 entries mark for the first time. There will be 30 mats used for this year’s competition.

It all started with the Junior Nationals in men’s freestyle, held in Iowa City, Iowa in 1971, which added Greco-Roman in 1972, and later was merged with the 16U Nationals (formerly the Cadet Nationals) in 1996. The Junior Nationals enters its 52nd year, held anunally except in 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2023 tournament is scheduled for July 15-22 and the field is as strong as ever. USA Wrestling has official state association team standings in all the divisions held in Fargo, adding to the tradition of state wrestling pride exhibited at this event.

The USMC Junior Nationals features high school wrestlers in grades 9-12. Every year, the Junior division features talented athletes who are proven winners, as well as many emerging stars. The 16U division features athletes who turned 15 or 16 years old in 2023 and is a tournament where athletes can begin to make a name for themselves on the national level

The combined USMC Junior and 16U Nationals has become a traditional highlight of the wrestling season. This year’s event will feel quite a bit different, due to a big change in the schedule and event presentation.

Instead of starting each of the six national tournaments on different days and holding a one-mat finals on six consecutive days, this year the tournament is broken up by discipline. Both the Junior and 16U Nationals finals in each discipline will be held side-by-side on two raised mats. It starts with women’s freestyle (July 15-16), followed by men’s freestyle (July 17-19) and Greco-Roman (July 21-22). There is a off-day on Thursday, July 20. … rest of story at … Teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2023/July/07/2023-Fargo-advance

July 13, 2023 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized