Chance Marsteller Named Athlete of the Week
The wrestler earned the recognition following his performance at the recent RAF 13 event.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Wrestling
USA Wrestling has named Chance Marsteller Athlete of the Week. This honor follows his recent victory over Georgios Kougioumtsidis at RAF 13 in Miami.
Why it matters
The recognition highlights Marsteller's continued success in the 79 kg weight class. His recent performance demonstrates his ability to overcome significant deficits during high-stakes competition.
Marsteller secured his RAF 13 victory with a late comeback, utilizing back-to-back takedowns within the final 90 seconds to erase a 6-2 deficit. This builds upon his U.S. Open title run where he defeated Evan Wick 7-3.
The players
Chance Marsteller
He is a competitive wrestler from Reading, Pa., who previously won a U.S. Open title.
USA Wrestling
This is the national governing body for wrestling in the United States and the organization that issued the award.
Georgios Kougioumtsidis
He is an international wrestler who competed against Marsteller at the RAF 13 event.
Evan Wick
He is a professional wrestler who was defeated by Marsteller in the U.S. Open championship match.
The details
Marsteller, based in Reading, Pa., demonstrated late-match resilience by rallying to defeat Georgios Kougioumtsidis 8-6. He remains a key figure in the division, having previously served as a 2023 Senior World Team member and a 2022 World Cup champion.
Timeline
Marsteller competed on the 2022 World Cup Team in Coralville, Iowa.
He served as a member of the 2023 Senior World Team.
Marsteller finished as the runner-up at Final X in June 2026.
He debuted at RAF 13 in Miami during September 2026.
USA Wrestling named him Athlete of the Week on September 23, 2026.
The Big Picture
This accolade follows the standards established by USA Wrestling's athlete selection criteria for recognizing top performers at individual events. The decision highlights Marsteller's positioning within the national talent pool relative to international standards.
Marsteller's recent comeback victory reinforces his status as a top contender in the 79 kg division. This momentum will likely impact his seeding and future placement in upcoming national team qualification events.
The takeaway
Late-match conditioning is often the deciding factor in close international wrestling bouts. Wrestlers at all levels can improve their results by focusing on high-intensity scoring opportunities during the final minutes of a match.
Further reading
For more on the national wrestling scene, visit Wrestling.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Themat.
