2016 USA Weightlifting University and U25 Nationals

University Nationals/U25 Men's Preview

University Nationals/U25 Men's Preview

The men's session of the USAW University and Under 25 Nationals promises as much action as the women's session and reaches deeper down the rankings.

Sep 23, 2016 by Matthew Bergeron
University Nationals/U25 Men's Preview
The men's session of the USAW University and Under 25 Nationals promises as much action as the women's session and reaches deeper down the rankings for medal contenders.

We'll also see some major names in the rankings, thanks to some competitors pursuing school later in their careers. Expect some possible shakeups in the men's rankings down the road.

Stay tuned to FloElite from Friday, September 23, through Sunday, September 25, to follow along with our coverage.

Men's -56kg


Although the smallest weight class, both in bodyweight and in competitors, this may be one of the most competitive weight classes you'll see. With only a spread of 16kg from first to sixth place, every kilo lifted will count, possibly more than any other class this weekend.  Leading the pack is Brey Kobashigawa, a tiny titan out of Hawai'i, who leads with a impressive 215 entry total. Following Kobashigawa is Josh Pineda out of LSU Shreveport, Blake Gamez, Anoulack Phousirith, Khaled Almenaies, and Domenick Carcappa, who are all neck and neck with totals that could easily shift the final results.

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Men's -62kg


In the next lightest weight class, Brennan Koeller is listed in first, but Ronnie Tucker, John Ellison, and Alan Fang boast higher competition totals. Everyone down to 11th place is tightly packed and any made or missed lift could lead to victory or defeat. The lighter weight classes are often overlooked, because the weights aren't massive compared to the heavier weight classes. But if you're a fan who's looking for classic weightlifting battles, this is not a session you want to miss.

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Men's -69kg


In another packed session, we have Marcus Carrasco with the highest entry total, but Aaron Addison and Jordan Wissinger have the highest two competition totals. All the while, Josh Brown is lurking at 12th place and could sneak up and steal the show from some people as well.  This is a classic session where your position on the start list will not guarantee you'll be in that place at the end. Prepare for some nail biting action in this session.

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Men's -77kg


Olympic Trials athlete and king of the power mullet, Angelo Bianco returns to the fray with a whopping 310kg entry total in the deepest weight class of the men's -77kg class. While Bianco is the favorite to take the title, keep an eye on Tanner Reichardt, Nicholas Dondzila, Christian Rodriguez Oscasio, and the last man in the A session, Pat Damiano, each of whom has totals and training over the last few months that could tear up medal predictions. This is another session from Jump Street that will be about every single ounce lifted.

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Men's -85kg


Fresh out of therapy school, the one and only James "I Do What I Want" Tatum takes the stage, and the lead, in the men's 85kg class. Having moved up the 85kg weight class after a lengthy stay in the 77s, Tatum has made some of most impressive gains in USAW history. Don't be surprised if you see him following himself this weekend. Charles McDonald and Zachary Karlins sit in second and third, while Paul Woelmer from Northern Michigan University lurks as a darkhorse for the podium, With international experience as a junior, don't take Woelmer's entry total lightly.

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Men's -94kg


Entering into the heavyweight categories, Bret Brian sits in first with an entry total equal to his best competition total. DJ Shuttleworth sits with a lower total, but a 330kg competition total, giving himself some breathing room with his openers. Nathan Stemo and Cameron Griggs sit close to each other with totals to contend for third place, and both are close to their competition bests with their openers.

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Men's -105kg


The middle heavyweight class, traditionally one of the more competitive male weight classes, brings in another game of entry totals. Joshua Ji sits at the top with a 338kg total, while Matthew McCarty and Evan Graybill chose for some wiggle room with their totals. However, their competition bests are close to Ji's. This will be a session where if openers are made, you can expect some big jumps to shift placement. The snatches will determine how big these jumps are in the clean and jerk, and if you're a fan of big weights flying, you won't want to miss the clean and jerk session.

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Men's 105+kg


Finishing up the weekend are the men's super-heavyweights, with Nicholas Saccente and Javier Pagliery battling for first place. Steven Maradona sits in third. While there is a significant difference between the three leaders, the heavier the weights, the less room for error. One misstep in the pull or catch of the bar could mean the difference between a medal.

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By Matt Bergeron