The Tar Heel Wrestling Club was represented by three athletes at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, with the team bringing home one gold medal and one silver medal while proudly representing three different nations.

Representing the Dominican Republic at 86 kilograms, Chris Foca captured the gold medal. Wrestling in front of a home crowd, Foca closed out the competition with a convincing 5-0 victory over Kevin De Leon of Mexico in the championship match to stand atop the podium.

At 65 kilograms, Shannon Hanna represented The Bahamas and advanced to the gold medal match. Hanna faced Joey Silva of Puerto Rico in the finals, where Silva earned a 3-0 victory. Hanna finished with the silver medal, while helping The Bahamas reach the podium.

Unfortunately, Ethan Ramos was unable to compete for Puerto Rico after being forced to withdraw due to illness.

The Tar Heel Wrestling Kid's Club is back on the mat this August, welcoming both new and returning wrestlers for another season of learning, competing, and growing through the sport of wrestling.

Held inside the UNC Wrestling Room on the campus of the University of North Carolina, the THWKC provides world-class instruction in a positive, age-appropriate environment where athletes develop sound fundamentals, confidence, discipline, and a strong work ethic. The program is designed for everyone from first-time wrestlers to experienced youth competitors looking to sharpen their skills. 

"Our goal is to create an environment where every child can build confidence, develop discipline, and learn the value of hard work while having fun. Whether a wrestler is stepping on the mat for the first time or preparing for a competitive season, we want them to leave every practice better than when they walked in—not just as athletes, but as people. We're excited to welcome everyone back and can't wait to get another great season started." said Brian Tucker, Director of the Kid's Club.

The fall program begins Tuesday, August 18, with practices held every Tuesday and Thursday.
Practice Schedule:
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Kindergarten through 3rd Grade

• Tuesdays & Thursdays
• 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

4th through 12th Grade

• Tuesdays & Thursdays
• 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.​

Monthly memberships:

• Kindergarten through 3rd Grade: $75 per month
• 4th through 12th Grade: $100 per month

Families who are new to the program are encouraged to come experience the club. First-time participants can attend one week of practices before registering if they decide the program is the right fit. 

As a USA Wrestling Chartered Club and the official U.S. Olympic Regional Training Center for North Carolina, the Tar Heel Wrestling Club offers young athletes the opportunity to train in the same environment that has helped develop national team members, world medalists, and Olympians. 

Whether your child is stepping onto the mat for the very first time or preparing for the upcoming competition season, the Tar Heel Kids Wrestling Club provides expert coaching, a supportive team atmosphere, and a clear pathway for long-term development.

Registration is now open. For more information or to register, visit: Tar Heel Wrestling Kid's Club.

Tar Heel Wrestling Club will have two athletes representing their nations on one of wrestling's biggest international stages this week as Shannon Hanna (Bahamas) and Chris Foca (Dominican Republic) compete at the 2026 Polyák Imre, Varga János & Kozma István Memorial Ranking Series in Budapest, Hungary.

The Budapest Ranking Series is the final United World Wrestling Ranking Series event before the 2026 Senior World Championships, bringing together many of the world's top freestyle wrestlers as they battle for valuable ranking points and international medals. 

Hanna Draw
Hanna opens his tournament against India's Kaliraman. A victory would setup a next round match vs Hungary's Mizsei.  His quarterfinals opponent would be Azerbaijan's Babazade.

The upper half of the bracket features Zakashvili (Georgia) along with United States standout Bartlett, who are projected to meet in the quarterfinals. Should Hanna navigate his opening rounds, he would likely need to defeat one of those favorites to reach the championship match.

Foca's Draw
Foca opens against the winner of Germany's Morodion and Azerbaijan's Dzhioev. A likely quarterfinal match with Georgia's Samkharadze awaits.

Follow the Action LiveCompetition begins Wednesday, July 15, with all times listed in Eastern Time.

4:30 – 6:30 a.m. – Qualification Rounds
6:30 – 7:30 a.m. – Semifinals
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. – Repechage
12:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Medal Matches

Fans can watch the Budapest Ranking Series love on FLO Wrestling, while brackets, results, and match by match updates are available though UWW Arena.

Ethan Ramos represented Tar Heel Wrestling Club at the Grand Prix of Spain over the weekend, finishing the tournament with a 1-1 record in senior freestyle competition.

Ramos opened the event with a technical fall victory to advance into the next round where he dropped his second match and ending his tournament before reaching the medal rounds.

The focus now shifts to Budapest, Hungary, where Tar Heel Wrestling Club will have multiple athletes competing at the UWW Ranking Series event later this week. The tournament is one of the premier stops on the international calendar, featuring many of the world's top wrestlers and serving as an important opportunity to earn ranking points ahead of the World Championships.

The official draws for Budapest will be released tomorrow afternoon, giving fans a first look at the opening-round matchups for Tar Heel Wrestling Club's athletes. Once the brackets are announced, we'll have a complete preview of each wrestler's path through the tournament and what to watch for as competition gets underway.
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Follow Tar Heel Wrestling Club throughout the week for draw announcements, live results, and complete coverage from Budapest as our athletes continue competing on the international stage.