Southbury’s Henckel to compete at U23 world team trials in Ohio
USA Wrestling’s U23 and U20 world team trials begin on Thursday in Geneva, Ohio. Competition in U23 men’s freestyle begins on Saturday, May 30 and concludes on Sunday with champions being determined in best-of-three finals.
Champions in each U23 weight class will be well-positioned to represent the United States at the 2026 U23 world championships in Las Vegas on Oct. 12-18. The U23 world team berth goes to the U23 national champion, unless a higher-ranking age group eligible Senior National team member elects to take the roster spot.
More than 1,000 athletes have registered for the U23 freestyle tournament in 10 weight classes. More than 150 athletes are registered to compete at 70 kilograms (154 pounds), the largest field in the tournament. There is also a Greco-Roman tournament, too.
Southbury’s William Henckel, who just completed his first year at Penn State, will be competing at 79 kilograms (174 pounds) in the U23 tournament. He was a silver medalist at the U20 world championship meet a year ago and won a gold medal at the 2025 Pan American championships.
Henckel, who finished fifth at the 2026 U.S. Open, is seeking his first U23 national title.
It won’t be easy with wrestlers like Hunter Garvin and Daschle Lamer in the weight class. Garvin owns three U23 Pan American championships medals and made a 2024 World Championships appearance in Greco-Roman over the past two years. Lamer comes in after winning a 174-pound title for Oregon State at this year’s Pac-12 Championships.
Binghamton’s Will Ebert (Fairfield) will be competing at 86 kilograms while Bloomsburg’s Jay Chase (Sheehan-Wallingford) will be competing at 56 kg.
The U20 men’s freestyle division will determine the U20 World Team that will represent the U.S. at the U20 world championships in Bratislava, Slovakia, August 16-23.
Action in the U20 division takes place on Friday, May 29, with a challenge tournament, followed by a best-of-three championship series.
Simsbury’s Max Konopka (GFA) will be competing at 97 kilograms (213 pounds). The winner of the challenge tournament will face Michael Boyle in a best-of-3 final for a spot on the world team.
Action begins at 10 a.m. ET on Friday, May 29, with the U23 Greco-Roman and U20 men’s freestyle World Team Trials competitions. The U23 men’s freestyle brackets will begin on Saturday, May 30, and conclude on Sunday, May 31.
Athletes competing in the U20 World Team Trials must be born between 2006 and 2009. Athletes competing in the U23 Nationals, which will be held in conjunction with the U20 World Team Trials, must be born between 2003 and 2008 to be eligible.