Aiello Qualifies For U.S. Olympic Trials; Two Cavaliers Place At Senior Nationals

FT. WORTH, Texas – Jay Aiello, an alum of the Virginia wrestling program, qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials on Sunday (Dec. 17) when he took a third-place finish at 97kg at USA Wrestling’s Senior Nationals. He will compete for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team at the Olympic Trials in April of 2024.

Aiello was one of two Cavaliers to place at the event as assistant coach Ian Parker finished seventh at 65kg.

After a bye in the opening round, Aiello stormed into the semifinals with a tech fall of Tyrie Houghton before picking up a decision over Jacob Warner.  He then dropped a decision to Kollin Moore to fall to the consolation bracket. Aiello then pinned Tony Cassioppi to move to the third-place match before taking a 9-4 decision over Eric Schultz to lock up the third-place finish.

Parker went 4-2 on his way to the seventh-place finish. He opened the tournament with a tech fall over Nathaniel Johnson before dropping a decision to Austin DeSanto to move to the consolation bracket. He then rattled off a pair of victories with a tech fall of Jawid Azimi and a decision over Jaydin Eierman before dropping a contest with Seth Gross. Parker claimed the seventh-place finish as Aden Valencia was forced to default due to injury.

65kg
Ian Parker
R32: Parker tech fall Nathanial Johnson, 10-0
R16: Austin DeSanto dec. Parker, 4-0
Conso. R8-1: Parker tech fall Jawid Azimi, 10-0
Conso. R8-2: Parker dec. Jaydin Eierman, 10-8
Conso. R4-1: Seth Gross tech fall Parker, 14-3
SEVENTH-PLACE MATCH: Parker over Aden Valencia by injury default

97kg
Jay Aiello
R32: Bye
R16: Aiello tech fall Tyrie Houghton, 10-0
QF: Aiello dec. Jacob Warner, 7-6
SF: Kollin Moore dec Aiello, 5-0
Conso. SF: Aiello pinned Tony Cassioppi, 5:02
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Aiello dec. Eric Schultz, 9-4