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Penn State wrestling connections set to compete for a spot on the U20 Team USA Friday

Greg Pickelby: Greg Pickel05/28/26GregPickel

Penn State wrestling will be represented by current and future Nittany Lions on Friday at the U20 World Team Trials today in Geneva, Ohio. By this evening, Team USA will be in place for the U20 World Championships. Those are Aug. 17 – 24 in Bulgari.

For those who are unaware, the tournament works as follows: Wrestlers who won their weight class at the US Open back in April will sit out until the best-of-three finals. Everyone else who qualified will be wrestling in a challenge tournament for the right to face that group.

Our preview starts with the one connection to head coach Cael Sanderson’s program, who is already in the finals. Class of 2026 signee Jayden James, who is also a member of the U23 Team USA, will try to make this national team, as well, by facing whoever comes out of the 74-kilogram (163.1 pounds) challenge tournament. The favorite to do so is Oklahoma State’s Dee Lockett. He is already a U20 World medalist and a U17 champion like James. During his freshman year for David Taylor’s Cowboys, he went 18-4 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. However, he did not place after finishing 2-2 in Cleveland.

Which other Penn State connections are at the U20 Team Trials?

A breakdown is below:

57kg (125.6 pounds): Penn State Class of 2027 commit Grey Burnett will be the top seed in the challenge tournament. He aims to meet Cornell freshman Isaiah Cortez in the best-of-three finals. 

65kg (143.3 pounds): Penn State Class of 2027 commit Clinton Shepherd and 2026 signee Sam Herring are both in the field. Both are hoping for a date with Virginia Tech signee Bo Bassett in the finals. The two Nittany Lions could possibly meet in the challenge tournament quarterfinals.

79kg (174.1 pounds): Penn State redshirt freshman Asher Cunningham is in this field. He finished second at the U20 US Open in April. Now, he seeks a rematch from that tournament’s title bout with Virginia Tech’s Ryan Burton. Burton won 9-4 in Vegas. He will have to navigate a number of others, however, to get there.

What is the U20 World Team Trials schedule?

See it below, courtesy of USA Wrestling (all times Eastern):

10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.: U20 Freestyle World Team Trials (Challenge Tournament) – Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolation & Challenge Tournament Finals

4 p.m. – 7 p.m.: U20 Freestyle World Team Trials – All Medal Matches & Best 2 out of 3 Finals