Ashnault, Suriano Set for 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials
Mar 31 | Wrestling
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – NCAA Champions Anthony Ashnault and Nick Suriano will compete at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials from April 2-3 in Fort Worth, Texas. Suriano is the No. 5 seed at 57 kg while Ashnault is the No. 8 seed at 65 kg. Suriano can clinch an opportunity to compete for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics this summer with a tournament win this weekend, while Ashnault will need to win this weekend's trials and qualify the weight for the Olympics at the World Olympic Qualifier from May 6-9 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
NBC Olympics will present exclusive live coverage of the trials, competed at Dickies Arena, across its NBCSN and Peacock platforms. Beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 3, NBCSN will present exclusive live coverage of the championship series. A full coverage breakdown and schedule can be found below.
Rutgers wrestling's all-time wins leader and 2019 NCAA Champion at 149 pounds, Ashnault secured his trials' spot last year with his freestyle gold medal at the Pan American Championships in Ottawa, Canada. The four-time All-American and three-time Big Ten champion most recently competed freestyle in the main event of the Spartan Combat card against two-time NCAA Champion Yianna Diakomihalis on Jan. 8 in North Carolina.
Suriano locked up his place at the U.S. Team Trials with his fourth-place finish at Senior Nationals on Dec. 22, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. The 2019 NCAA Champion at 133 pounds recently secured the 57 kg freestyle individual title at the 2021 Henri Deglane Grand Prix for USA Wrestling on Jan. 16 in Nice, France, where he outscored his three opponents, 18-2, en route to his individual championship.
2021 Olympic Team Trials Men's Freestyle Seeds
57 kg
1. Thomas Gilman (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC)
2. Daton Fix (Cowboy RTC/TMWC)
3. Vitali Arujau (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC)
4. Seth Gross (Wisconsin RTC/Sunkist Kids)
5. Nick Suriano (Sunkist Kids)
6. Joe Colon (Cyclone RTC/TMWC)
7. Nathan Tomasello (TMWC)
8. Sean Russell (Gopher WC RTC)
9. Zane Richards (Illinois RTC)
10. Zach Sanders (Gopher WC RTC)
65 kg
1. Zain Retherford (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC)
2. Yianni Diakomihalis (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC)
3. Jordan Oliver (Tar Heel WC/Sunkist Kids)
4. James Green (SERTC/TMWC)
5. Joey McKenna (Pennsylvania RTC/TMWC)
6. Nick Lee (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC)
7. Frank Molinaro (Sunkist Kids WC/TMWC)
8. Anthony Ashnault (New Jersey RTC/NYAC)
9. Nahshon Garrett (SERTC/TMWC)
10. Evan Henderson (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC)
11. Mitch McKee (Gopher WC RTC)
NBCSN, Peacock and NBC Sports Coverage Schedule
Friday, April 2
| Time | Coverage | Network |
| 11 a.m. ET | Challenge Tournament; Freestyle; Greco-Roman (All Mats) | Peacock |
| 7:30 p.m. ET | Challenge Tournament Finals; Freestyle; Greco-Roman (Mat 2) | NBCSN |
| 7:30 p.m. ET | Challenge Tournament Finals; Freestyle; Greco-Roman (Mat 1, 3 & 4) | Peacock |
Saturday, April 3
| Time | Coverage | Network |
| 1 p.m. ET | Challenge Tournament Consolations; Freestyle; Greco-Roman (Mat 1, 3 & 4) | Peacock |
| 7:30 p.m. ET | Championship Series; Freestyle; Greco-Roman (Mat 2) | NBCSN |
| 7:30 p.m. ET | Championship Series; Freestyle; Greco-Roman (Mats 1 & 3) | NBCSports.com |
Players Mentioned
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