Ryan Burton and Bo Bassett win US Open titles in Las VegasRyan Burton and Bo Bassett win US Open titles in Las Vegas
Wrestling

Ryan Burton and Bo Bassett win US Open titles in Las Vegas

Opens in a new window 2026 US Open Full Brackets and Results Opens in a new window Support SERTC

LAS VEGAS, NV – The Hokies were well represented at the 2026 US Open held at The Expo World Exchange Market over the weekend with two champions and four total placers across two divisions led by redshirt freshman Ryan Burton and incoming freshman Bo Bassett. Also finding the podium were Caleb Henson and Jimmy Mullen for Tech wrestling with a runner-up and fifth place finish, respectively.

Burton in driver seat for U20 World Team spot

After appearing in orange and maroon throughout the season then ultimately redshirting his first year in Blacksburg, Ryan Burton is already putting together an impressive offeason résumé – winning his first US Open title thus earning a bye into the best of three World Team finals series later next month. Entering 79-kilograms as the No. 33 seed, Burton went 7-0 over two days of competition with an impressive 10-0 tech fall win over the top-seed Zane Gerlach and the No. 3 seed Asher Cunningham (Penn State/NLWC) in the finals via 9-4 decision. Burton earned a bye into the US U20 World Team Trials to be held in Geneva, Ohio on May 29 with the winner representing the United States at the 2026 United World Wrestling U20 Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia in August.

Bassett dominates his way to two crowns

One of the most coveted recruits in wrestling history, Bo Bassett showed why with an absolute show over the span of three days pulling double duty to go 6-0 in the Senior bracket and 6-0 in the U20 division at 65-kilograms. Beginning his weekend competition in the Senior division, Bassett defeated NCAA champion Aiden Valencia (California RTC) in the quarterfinals in a thrilling 11-10 decision then would follow up with a tech fall over national finalist Beau Bartlett (NYCRTC) in the semifinals. Bassett would then go on to blitz Joey McKenna (Cowboy RTC) in the finals with a 10-0 tech fall to win his first title of the weekend. Without missing a beat, the incoming Hokie thrashed the U20 division – winning all his matches by tech fall and outscoring his opponents 81-8. Bassett will look to solidify his spot on both the Senior World Team at Final X on June 19 in Newark, New Jersey and the U20 World Team at the World Team Trials in Geneva, Ohio on May 29.

Henson, Mullen find the podium

Hokies’ star and leader Caleb Henson returns to Blacksburg with a Senior division 70-kilogram runner-up finish in a controversial US Open final bout against rival Ridge Lovett. Henson would show to be the aggressor throughout the bout but with reviews and challenges, he would ultimately lose the bout 14-12. With his runner-up finish, Henson qualifies for the 2026 World Team Trials in Louisville, Kentucky on May 14-15. Should he win the event, he’ll advance to Final X in Newark, New Jersey for another showdown against Lovett to determine the United States’ World Team representative at the United World Wrestling World Championships this coming October.

Jimmy Mullen found the podium to finish fifth at 125-kilograms over the weekend, going 5-2 against the competition. Mullen avenged an in-season defeat with a win over Minnesota’s Koy Hopke 6-2 decision in addition to four bonus wins for the Hokie. Mullen qualifies for the Senior World Team Trials next month in Louisville.