MINNEAPOLIS — A strong contingent of Minnesota high school-age wrestlers turned heads on the national stage last week, capturing four individual titles and securing dozens of All-American honors at the 2026 USA Wrestling Junior and 16U National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota.
The grueling nine-day event (split into six divisions), held annually at the Fargodome, wrapped up Saturday after showcasing the country’s premier young wrestling talent across boys freestyle, Greco-Roman, and girls freestyle disciplines.
Minnesota’s elite showing was punctuated by four national champions who stood atop the podium in their respective divisions, including two multi-title milestones.
Leading the charge for the Land of 10,000 Lakes was 16U heavyweight standout Sawyer Schendel. Competing in the 285-pound weight class, Schendel staged a masterclass in both styles. He opened the week by wrestling his way to a 16U Boys Freestyle national title, only to follow it up days later by capturing the 16U Greco-Roman crown.
Combined with a USA Wrestling Folkstyle national championship earned earlier in the year, Schendel’s dominant performance in Fargo earned him the prestigious and rare Triple Crown award, solidifying his status as a premier heavyweight prospect.
Minnesota added two more national titles in the highly competitive Junior divisions. Davis Parrow bested a loaded field to win the Boys Junior Freestyle championship at 150 pounds.
In the Girls Junior Freestyle division, Nora Akpan captured a national title at 145 pounds to anchor a strong overall performance by the state’s female wrestlers. The victory marked an impressive milestone for Akpan, who became a two-time national champion after winning the 2025 Junior Freestyle title at 140 pounds.
The Boys 16U freestyle team set a strong tone early in the tournament. In addition to Schendel’s title, Destan Skelly finished as the national runner-up at 175 pounds. The heavyweights made plenty of noise, as Phillip Harris and Duke Bartoo finished third and fourth, respectively, at 215 pounds. Gavin Hoeft (106 pounds, seventh) and Nathan Hoopman (113 pounds, eighth) added to the 16U All-American haul.
In the Boys Junior Freestyle division, the state showcased its depth. Lincoln Robideau (157 pounds) and Jackson Thorn (106 pounds) both battled back to secure third-place finishes. Landon Thoennes took fourth at 120 pounds, while Miklo Hernandez (132) and Gage Bjerga (138) each claimed sixth. Bennett Kujawa (seventh at 150) and Grayson Eggum (seventh at 165) also earned spots on the podium.
Minnesota’s wrestlers proved their versatility during the mid-week Greco-Roman schedule. In the 16U division, Skelly and Harris earned their second All-American honors of the week, with Harris taking third at 215 pounds and Skelly placing eighth at 175. Joining them on the podium were Garrett Bjerga (fourth at 113), Chase Lawrence (fifth at 113), Beckett Edstrom (fourth at 126), Elias Motta (fourth at 165), Rex Ayshford (seventh at 165), Grayson Schroeder (seventh at 100), and Adrian Fuchs (seventh at 215).
In the Junior Greco-Roman division, Liam Collins led the way with a second-place finish at 144 pounds. Gage Bjerga earned his second podium finish of the week, taking third at 138 pounds. Other Junior Greco All-Americans included Titan Friederichs (fourth at 126), Bennett Kujawa (fourth at 150), Grady Weinbrenner (sixth at 175), Caden Grenier (sixth at 190), Joel Friederichs (seventh at 120), and Gabriel Cohn (eighth at 190).
Minnesota’s female wrestlers capped off the tournament with several standout performances in the freestyle divisions. Alongside Akpan’s Junior national title, Sarah Pulk placed fifth at 170 pounds, and Chloe Wehry took sixth at 135 pounds. In the Girls 16U division, Emma Antoni put together a great tournament to place third at 145 pounds, while Olivia Martinez added an eighth-place finish at 190 pounds.
Find Individual Results, Team Scores, and Links to Photos:
