Mountain Hawk wrestlers prepare for the U.S. Open in Las Vegas

Thirteen Lehigh wrestlers are gearing up to take the mat on the national stage for the U.S. Open Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Hosted by USA Wrestling between April 23 and 27, 11 men and two women from Lehigh will vie for automatic qualification into the final round of World Team tryouts at the end of May. 

The Mountain Hawks will compete in the senior division — the highest level of the competition, equivalent to the professional level. Wrestlers who place in the top eight will earn Senior All-American status, a distinction awarded to those at the top of their respective class. 

First-year wrestler Jadon Skellenger said he’s looking forward to the championships. 

“It’s the big dogs,” he said. “I’m going against national champs and Olympians and guys at a really high caliber, so I’m excited for that.”

Although listed as a club team, Lehigh women’s wrestlers will be making themselves known on the national level of the championships. 

First-year Audrey Jimenez, the 2024 No. 1 pound-for-pound women’s wrestler in the country, said while nothing is official, she’s optimistic about her team becoming a varsity program by next year. 

With NCAA sanctions announcing women’s wrestling as an official Division I sport and the inaugural championship occurring in 2026, Jimenez’s optimism may become a reality.

First-year Makynna Loepp competed in last year’s tournament as a high schooler and finished one round short of placing. This year, she said she’s aiming for a stronger performance and an improved mindset through consistent practice.

“I’ve been staying in the same routine,” Loepp said. “I’m very stubborn when it comes to that. I believe what I do is what’s gonna get me to perform at my best, and that’s just drilling in practice. Even with my lifts, I’m really staying focused and in the zone.”

Despite the high stakes of the tournament, Skellenger said he is taking a more relaxed and strategic approach in his training by prioritizing recovery. 

Sophomore Luke Stanich shared a similar sentiment and said he’s focusing on small details in his training while being cautious to not overdo it. 

He said his preparation also involves getting back into the swing of freestyle wrestling, which differs from the folkstyle seen in United States collegiate wrestling.

Freestyle is used in international competitions and constitutes a faster pace and different scoring system which focuses on takedowns and back exposures. Folkstyle emphasizes pinning and controlling the opponent.

Jimenez said she sees this tournament as an opportunity to put a year’s worth of work into action and measure her improvement. She said making the Senior World Team has been a goal of hers for several years.

“I’ve made the other age level World Teams before, but it would mean so much more to make the Senior World Team knowing that I’m capable of it and I’ve been so close in the past,” she said. 

Going into the tournament, Skellenger said he is focused on staying calm and not letting himself get overwhelmed. He also said being a successful wrestler means being able to calmly think through positions. 

“I really enjoy setting goals,” he said. “Achieving those goals is always great, but I always like seeing improvement from when I first start. When I achieve whatever goal it is, it’s really satisfying for me just to see that improvement.”

Skellenger said his goal for the tournament is to enjoy the experience and the opportunity to compete alongside his friends. 

Stanich said he draws motivation from the chance to represent the people who have supported him along the way — his coaches, brother and friends. 

“The main goal is NCAAs and being an NCAA champion, so this is just kind of like a learning experience, but in the moment, it’s everything,” Stanich said. “I’m putting all my training into this tournament, so I’m gonna try and make a world team and be a world champion.”