TEMPE, Ariz. – Rising redshirt sophomore All-American Zahid Valencia will represent Arizona State as well as the United States in his third consecutive Junior World Freestyle Championships, taking place this year in Tampere, Finland (Aug. 1-2).
Valencia (84 kg/185 lbs.) qualified for the team with a pair of dominating victories vs. NC State's Nick Reenan (11-0 and 12-1) in the World Team Trials in June.
Making his third straight start for USA Wrestling at Junior World Championships, Valencia also competed in Macon, France in 2016 and Salvador de Bahia, Brazil in 2015.
Valencia improved upon his 2015 finish (10th) with a seventh-place finish in 2016 and looks to continue improvement with his sights set on a championship.
Joining Valencia on the eight-member USA Wrestling Freestyle Team are Minnesota's Mitchell McKee (60 kg/132 lbs.), Northwestern's Ryan Deakin (66 kg/145 lbs.), Penn State's Mark Hall (74 kg/163 lbs.), and Ohio State's Kollin Moore (96 kg/211 lbs.) as well as Malik Heinselman (50 kg/110 lbs.), Daton Fix (55 kg/121 lbs.), and Gable Steveson (120 kg/264 lbs.) who have committed to Ohio State, Oklahoma State, and Minnesota, respectively.
Valencia, Hall, Fix, and Moore each bring prior Junior World Team experience to this year's squad.
Current ASU assistant coach Chris Pendleton also represents the Sun Devils as well as his country as one of the team's assistant coaches for next week's championships.
As an athlete on the world stage, Pendleton placed second in the 2013 World Team Trials, third in the 2012 Olympic Team Trials, and third in the 2005 World Team Trials, earning eight international medals.
The freestyle portion of UWW Junior World Championships takes place on Tuesday, Aug. 1 and Wednesday, Aug. 2, with Valencia competing on Wednesday while the other four weight classes will compete Tuesday.
The preliminary qualification rounds take place each day at 12 midnight PT with medal matches at 8:30 am PT on Tuesday and 8 am PT on Wednesday. The schedule is below as well as a full USA wrestler and coach roster.
Fans can find brackets and live video on Trackwrestling.com.
Roster
50 kg/110 lbs. – Malik Heinselman
55 kg/121 lbs. – Daton Fix
60 kg/132 lbs. – Mitchell McKee
66 kg/145 lbs. – Ryan Deakin
74 kg/163 lbs. – Mark Hall
84 kg/185 lbs. – Zahid Valencia
96 kg/211 lbs. – Kollin Moore
120 kg/264 lbs. – Gable Steveson
Coaches
U.S. Freestyle National Assistant Coach: Kevin Jackson
Coach: Zack Esposito
Coach: Andrew Howe
Coach: Chris Pendleton
Coach: Dustin Schlatter
Schedule
Tuesday, Aug. 1
Freestyle – 50 kg, 61 kg, 74 kg, 96 kg
10 am local/3 am ET/12 midnight PT – Qualification rounds and repechage (wrestlebacks)
6 pm local/11 am ET/8 am PT – Opening ceremonies
6:30 pm local/11:30 am ET/8:30 am PT – Medal matches
Wednesday, Aug. 2
Freestyle – 55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg, 120 kg
10 am local/3 am ET/12 midnight PT – Qualification rounds and repechage
6 pm local/11 am ET/8 am PT – Medal matches
Valencia (84 kg/185 lbs.) qualified for the team with a pair of dominating victories vs. NC State's Nick Reenan (11-0 and 12-1) in the World Team Trials in June.
Making his third straight start for USA Wrestling at Junior World Championships, Valencia also competed in Macon, France in 2016 and Salvador de Bahia, Brazil in 2015.
Valencia improved upon his 2015 finish (10th) with a seventh-place finish in 2016 and looks to continue improvement with his sights set on a championship.
Joining Valencia on the eight-member USA Wrestling Freestyle Team are Minnesota's Mitchell McKee (60 kg/132 lbs.), Northwestern's Ryan Deakin (66 kg/145 lbs.), Penn State's Mark Hall (74 kg/163 lbs.), and Ohio State's Kollin Moore (96 kg/211 lbs.) as well as Malik Heinselman (50 kg/110 lbs.), Daton Fix (55 kg/121 lbs.), and Gable Steveson (120 kg/264 lbs.) who have committed to Ohio State, Oklahoma State, and Minnesota, respectively.
Valencia, Hall, Fix, and Moore each bring prior Junior World Team experience to this year's squad.
Current ASU assistant coach Chris Pendleton also represents the Sun Devils as well as his country as one of the team's assistant coaches for next week's championships.
As an athlete on the world stage, Pendleton placed second in the 2013 World Team Trials, third in the 2012 Olympic Team Trials, and third in the 2005 World Team Trials, earning eight international medals.
USA Junior World Team Coach and Wrestler putting time in the weight room getting strong. pic.twitter.com/oMSN4vuJdp
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) July 22, 2017
The freestyle portion of UWW Junior World Championships takes place on Tuesday, Aug. 1 and Wednesday, Aug. 2, with Valencia competing on Wednesday while the other four weight classes will compete Tuesday.
The preliminary qualification rounds take place each day at 12 midnight PT with medal matches at 8:30 am PT on Tuesday and 8 am PT on Wednesday. The schedule is below as well as a full USA wrestler and coach roster.
Fans can find brackets and live video on Trackwrestling.com.
Roster
50 kg/110 lbs. – Malik Heinselman
55 kg/121 lbs. – Daton Fix
60 kg/132 lbs. – Mitchell McKee
66 kg/145 lbs. – Ryan Deakin
74 kg/163 lbs. – Mark Hall
84 kg/185 lbs. – Zahid Valencia
96 kg/211 lbs. – Kollin Moore
120 kg/264 lbs. – Gable Steveson
Excited to start training with the rest of the team to go win a world title! pic.twitter.com/KM7FF93LM9
— Zahid Valencia (@Z_MONEY97) July 19, 2017
Coaches
U.S. Freestyle National Assistant Coach: Kevin Jackson
Coach: Zack Esposito
Coach: Andrew Howe
Coach: Chris Pendleton
Coach: Dustin Schlatter
Schedule
Tuesday, Aug. 1
Freestyle – 50 kg, 61 kg, 74 kg, 96 kg
10 am local/3 am ET/12 midnight PT – Qualification rounds and repechage (wrestlebacks)
6 pm local/11 am ET/8 am PT – Opening ceremonies
6:30 pm local/11:30 am ET/8:30 am PT – Medal matches
Wednesday, Aug. 2
Freestyle – 55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg, 120 kg
10 am local/3 am ET/12 midnight PT – Qualification rounds and repechage
6 pm local/11 am ET/8 am PT – Medal matches