FARGO, N.D. – As the dust settled on the 2026 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals, Pennsylvania reigned as overall team champions and Battles Won Award winners for the third-straight year.
Pennsylvania finished as the top team in three of the six divisions contested at the FARGODOME with a combined 1,023 team points, winning the women’s freestyle category in the Junior age group, plus the men’s freestyle and women’s freestyle categories in the 16U age group. The Keystone State crew was second in 16U Greco-Roman, third in Junior men’s freestyle and 20th in Junior Greco-Roman.
The Battles Won Award, which is the newly named team trophy of the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals, is presented to the top state in each division, as well as the overall champion. Other states claiming a Battles Won Award include California in Junior men’s freestyle, Illinois in Junior Greco-Roman and Iowa in 16U Greco-Roman. The award represents the shared ideals of both wrestlers and Marines, as well as the idea that true success is defined not just by the outcome but by the discipline, accountability, and perseverance developed along the way.
“The relationship between USA Wrestling and the U.S. Marine Corps continues to set the standard for excellence and innovation in the Olympic sports ecosystem,” said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director. “We congratulate our 2026 Battles Won Award winners and look forward to our continued partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps.”
Trailing Pennsylvania in the overall team standings were Iowa (740 points), Illinois (722 points), California (642 points) and Indiana (415 points). In total, 44 states registered team points at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals. Complete team standings are available below.
Read more about the Battles Won Award
