Fargo. That one word is now used to describe the largest wrestling tournament in the world.
The 2024 U.S. Marine Corp Junior and 16U Nationals will take place July 12-20. The floor of the Fargo Dome in Fargo, North Dakota will be covered with wrestling mats as wrestlers from across the country compete.
This tournament has come a long way since The Fieldhouse on the campus of the University of Iowa first hosted Junior Nationals in 1971. Future Iowa Hawkeye Dan Holm (Illinois) won a national title at 154 lbs.
I believe it was at these early tournaments that Sandy Stevens began her career as an announcer.
I attended my first Junior Nationals in Cedar Falls in 1983 to watch Royce Alger of Lisbon win a 154 lbs. Junior National title. I went to my last Junior Nationals in Fargo in 2005 to see Ryan Morningstar of Lisbon win a national title at 154.
I went every year Junior Nationals were in the UNI-Dome (1983-1990). I sure miss this tournament in the UNI-Dome.
A good article on the history of Junior Nationals:
https://www.win-magazine.com/2020/07/17/moments-that-made-the-junior-nationals-over-nearly-50-years/
The largest wrestling tournament in the world is continuing to grow. The addition of women’s wrestling has made a big impact for continued growth for the tournament.
From USA Wrestling in 2023:
2023 USMC Junior/16U Nationals entries, in comparison to 2022 record event
- 16U women’s freestyle: 740 vs. 518 (+ 222 entries)
- 16U men’s freestyle: 1,595 vs. 1,436 (+159 entries)
- 16U Greco-Roman: 1,206 vs. 1,044 (+162 entries)
- Junior women’s freestyle: 853 vs. 944 (- 91 entries)
- Junior men’s freestyle: 1,596 vs. 1,563 (+33 entries)
- Junior Greco-Roman: 1,444 vs. 1,141 (+ 3 entries)
USA Wrestling blitzed the overall record with 7,134 entries this year, blasting through the 7,000 athlete barrier and topping the 2022 record of 6,646 athletes by 488 athletes, a healthy increase of 7.3%.
Incoming recruits for the men’s and women’s program will be competing. Junior Girls will be on Saturday and Sunday, July 13-14. Junior Boys will be on Monday-Wednesday, July 15-17.
Schedule for Junior and 16U Nationals:
https://usawrestlingevents.com/event/2400001702/schedule
FloWrestling will have full coverage on their premium service.
I will have a preview and follow up blogs with results for incoming recruits for both programs..
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
