Katie Lange is a little over three weeks away from an opportunity to achieve a longtime goal.
The 2021 Martin County West graduate will compete in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the women’s freestyle division April 19-20 at the Bryce Jordan Center on the campus of Penn State University in University Park, Penn.
Lange, representing the Minnesota Storm, will compete for the 62 kg (136 pounds) position on the U.S. team for the Summer Olympics in Paris.
She earned the spot in the Trials by placing second at the Bill Farrell Memorial International at the New York Athletic Club in New York City in November.
Lange took an Olympic year away from Augsburg University after winning the 143-pound title at the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships in March of 2023. She has been training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
There are currently eight Challenge Tournament qualifiers and four Non-Olympic weight qualifiers on the list of competitors at the Olympic Trials. Another will be added from the Last Chance Qualifier April 6-7 in Fairfax, Virginia.
At the Trials, whoever wins out of that field will take part in a best-of-three series for the berth on the Olympic team.
Katie is the daughter of Lisa and Kevin Lange of Sherburn. Kevin was the Class A 160-pound state champion for Martin County West in 1989.
Challenge Tournament qualifiers
Here are the wrestlers in the 62 kg Challenge Tournament. Listed are name, wrestling club and how they qualified.
Mallory Velte, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club/Beaver Dam Wrestling Club, 2018 World Team member.
Katie Lange, Minnesota Gold/Storm, 2023 Bill Farrell highest placer.
Ashlynn Ortega, King/New York Athletic Club, 2023 Senior Nationals second place.
Aine Drury, 10 year Active Athlete List, 2023 Senior Nationals third place.
Maya Letona, NYC RTC/Titan Mercury Wrestling Club, Senior Nationals fifth place.
SaVannah Cosme, Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club, 2023 Senior Nationals fifth place.
Claire DiCugno, King, 2024 NCWWC 136-pound champion.
Adaugo Nwachukwu, William Penn, 2024 NAIA 136-pound national champion.
Non-Olympic weight qualifiers
By winning 2023 World medal at non-Olympic weight, these athletes advance to the semifinals of the Olympic Trials Challenge Tournament, at the Olympic weight class either up or down from where they won the World medal.
Macey Kilty, Sunkist Kids, 2023 Senior World Silver Medalist at 65 kg.
Forrest Molinari, Sunkist Kids, 2021 World Team member at 65 kg.
Reese Larramendy, Iowa, 2024 NCWWWC champion at 143 pounds.
Jamilah McBryde, Life, 2024 NAIA national champion at 143 pounds.
Sitting To Best-of-Three Final Series
Kayla Miracle, Sunkist Kids, 2024 Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier finalist.