Coralville, Iowa – The 2022 USA World Team Trials Challenge Tournament concluded on Sunday with the PRTC placing in three of the four weight classes where they had entered athletes. As a team, the PRTC placed sixth overall against some of the top RTCs in the country. The tournament, held in Extreme Arena, is the precursor to Final X, the last competition to decide the 2022 USA World Team scheduled to compete at the World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia later this year.

Doug Zapf, a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, represented the PRTC in his first ever senior level World Team Trials tournament. He went 1-2 on the weekend at 70kg against a tough field of former NCAA All-Americans, National Champions, and seasoned senior level competitors.

PRTC senior resident athletes Joey McKenna, David McFadden, and Mark Hall each battled their way through tough competition to gain placing. The top three finishers in each weight class qualify for National Team status. McKenna placed third while Hall placed second. McFadden fell short of qualifying with a fourth place finish.

Hall, competing at 86kg, lost in the best of three final match series to Zahid Valencia of Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club. Valencia will move on to Final X to compete against David Taylor (NLWC) for the World Team spot. This puts Hall at 3rd on the competitor ladder but still qualifies him for National Team status.

After losing his opening round match, McKenna battled back in dominating fashion to place third at 65kg. He went 4-1 on the weekend while out scoring his opponents 52-8. His placing puts McKenna on his third US National Team. He was a member of the 2018-19 team and is on the current 2021-22 team.

McFadden went 2-2 at 79kg. He started the tournament with a tech fall before losing to eventual champion Chance Marstellar (TMWC) 5-2 in the semi-finals. McFadden started his comeback with a dominating win over two time NCAA Champion Isaiah Martinez (BDRTC) before losing the third place match to Carter Starocci(NLWC). Marstellar will move on to Final X and compete against the PRTC’s Jordan Burroughs for the world team spot. Burroughs is the current World Champion at 79kg.

Below are the full results for the PRTC.

65kg Joey McKenna, 4-1, 3rd Place

LOSS Ian Parker (Cyclone RTC) 5-8

WIN Joshua Saunders (Spartan RTC) 10-0

WIN Patricio Lugo (Hawkeye WC) 10-0

WIN Nick Lee (NLWC) 13-3

WIN Ian Parker (Cyclone RTC) 11-0

70kg Doug Zapf, 1-2

LOSS Zain Retherford (NLWC) 1-4

WIN Jarod Verkleeren (Cavalier WC) 5-0

LOSS Tyler Berger (CAL/TMWC) 0-7

79kg David McFadden, 2-2, 4th Place

WIN Braden Thompson (Illinois) 10-0

LOSS Chance Marstellar (TMWC) 2-5

WIN Isaiah Martinez (BDRT) 14-7

LOSS Carter Starocci (NLWC) 2-10

86kg Mark Hall, 2-2, 2nd Place

WIN Caleb Hopkins (BCWC) 10-0

WIN Drew Foster (Panther WC) FALL

LOSS Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids WC) 0-6

LOSS Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids WC) 0-10