FORT WORTH, TX -- All-American and 2021 Pac-12 heavyweight champion Cohlton Schultz and Sun Devil Wrestling alumni Zahid Valencia are members of the 2021 USA Wrestling National Team for their respective weight classes after their finishes at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The pair will represent Team USA at various tournaments across the world in the upcoming year and participate in a rigorous training program.
Only the number one U.S. wrestler for each respective weight class gets to compete in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Schultz (130kg Greco-Roman) finished in second and Valencia (86kg Men's Freestyle) in third. As wrestlers who placed second and third at the Olympic Trials Team USA members have the opportunity to be training partners for the lone wrestler.
This is Valencia's third year as a U.S. National Team wrestler and Schultz's second.
Welcome to @TeamUSA, Cohlton Schultz!??????
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) April 4, 2021
Schultz is a 2021 U.S. National Team member after placing ?? at the Olympic Trials!??#ForksUp x #O2V |#WrestlingTrials21 pic.twitter.com/g0OocTImt7
The Colorado native made his way to the best-of-three final against familiar foe Adam Coon for the Greco-Roman 130 kg weight class. Schultz pushed hard in his first bout with Coon, but fell short in a 11-0 tech fall. Less than an hour later the pair met for their second bout where Schultz put up the first three points of the battle. Coon tied the match 3-3 and ultimately won via criteria to place Schultz second at 130 kg.
On Saturday morning, Valencia came out of the gate determined to dominate his opponent, Nathan Jackson to place himself into the third place match. The three-time national team wrestler defeated Jackson in a 11-0 tech fall.
Valencia's momentum continued into the third place bout against Pat Downey as he held Downey to only one point and tallied 11 points for himself in his second tech fall victory of the Olympic Trials.
Welcome to @TeamUSA, Zahid Valencia!??????#ForksUp x #O2V |#WrestlingTrials21 pic.twitter.com/bNoIY5VNjx
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) April 3, 2021
Tanner Hall concluded his Olympic Trials run against Mason Parris for the 125 kg men's freestyle consolation match. Parris would win by a 11-0 tech fall.
Cohlton Schultz Quick Facts
USA RANK: #2
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Placed fifth at 2021 NCAA DI Wrestling Championships
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2021 Pac-12 Champion (HWT)
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Two-time National Team member (2020, 2021)
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Ranked #2 in USA Greco Roman 130 KG
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2017 Cadet World champion
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2019 Junior World silver medalist
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2018 Junior World bronze medalist
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2019 Senior Nationals champion
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Six-time age-group-level World Team member
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Rated No. 1 pound-for-pound recruit in the nation
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A 2019 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winner, joining teammate Zahid Valencia as the only other Sun Devil to receive the award
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2019 Senior Greco US runner up
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Three-time Junior World Team member
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Two-time Cadet World Team participant
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A member of the U23 World Team in 2018
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Four-time Colorado state champion
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Ended his high school career with a 188-2 record, including 152 pins
Zahid Valencia Quick Facts
USA RANK: #2
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2018 Final X runner-up
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Three-time National Team member (2018-21)
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Two-time NCAA champion (2018, 2019)
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Third Place at 2017 NCAA DI Wrestling Championships
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2021 Gold Medalist Henri Deglane International
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2021 Silver Medal Matteo Pellicone International
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2020: Gold at Matteo Pellicone International
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2019: Senior Nationals champion (Dec.)
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2019 Second at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament
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2018: Final X runner-up
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2018 World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion
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2017: Silver at UWW Junior World Championships
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2017 UWW Junior World Team Trials champion
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2017 UWW Junior Nationals champion
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2016: Seventh at UWW Junior World Championships
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2016 UWW Junior World Team Trials champion
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2016 UWW Junior Nationals champion
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2015: Second at Grand Prix of Spain
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2015 10th at UWW Junior World Championships
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2015 UWW Junior World Team Trials champion
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2015 UWW Junior Nationals champion
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2014: Third at UWW Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman
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USAW Age-Group: 2013 Cadet Nationals champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman
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High School: First-team ASICS All-American and 2015 ASICS High School Wrestler of the Year
Results
Greco-Roman Preliminaries Round 1
130 kg - Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) dec. Donny Longendyke (Minnesota Storm) 3-0
Greco-Roman Semifinals
130 kg - Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) dec. Jacob Mitchell (ARMY WCAP) 4-3
Greco Roman Best 2 of 3 Finals
130 kg - Adam Coon (NYAC/CKWC) tech. fall Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) 10-1
130 kg - Adam Coon (NYAC/CKWC) def Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) 3-3, criteria
Men's Freestyle Preliminaries Round 1
65 kg - Frank Molinaro (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) won by decision over Evan Henderson (TMWC/ Spartan Combat) 10-1
Men's Freestyle Quarterfinals
65 kg - Yianni Diakomihalis (TMWC/ Spartan Combat) tech. fall Frank Molinaro (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) 10-0
86 kg - Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) dec. Aaron Brooks (TMWC/ NLWC) 6-3
125 kg - Gable Steveson (Gopher Wrestling Club) tech. fall over Tanner Hall (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) TF 11-0
Men's Freestyle Semifinals
86 kg - Bo Nickal (TMWC/ NLWC) tech. fall Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) 12-5
Men's Freestyle Consolations
86 kg - Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) tech. fall Nathan Jackson (NJRTC) 10-0
125 kg - Mason Parris (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club) tech. fall over Tanner Hall (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) TF 10-0
Men's Freestyle Third Place
86 kg - Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) tech. fall Pat Downey (Sanford MMA) 11-1