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Biography - Josef Rau, IL

2021-22 Team USA Ranking: No. 2 at 87 kg/192 lbs.
Years on Team USA: 5 (2014-17, 2019-2021)
Residence: Chicago, Illinois 
Club: Titan Mercury
Personal Coaches: Bryan Medlin
College: Elmhurst
Regional Training Center: Illinois RTC
High School: St. Patrick (Ill.)
Born: March 17, 1991
Height: 6-1

Past Senior World Teams:
2019 Senior Worlds (16th at 87 kg) 2014 Senior Worlds (23rd at 80 kg)

Past Age-Group World Teams:
World University Championships (10th at 80 kg)

Career Highlights:
2020 Pan Am Olympic Qualifer champion
2020 Pan AM Championships gold medalist
2019 Final X champion
2019 U.S. Open champion
2017 World Team Trials champion
2016 U.S. Olympic Trials champion
2016 U.S. Open champion
2016 silver medalist at Grand Prix Zagreb Open
2014 University Nationals champion
10th at 2014 University World Championships
2013 NCAA DIII champion
Three-time NCAA DIII All-American
2009 Junior Nationals Greco-Roman champion

Career Biography:
2021:
Olympic Team Trials runner-up... Fifth at Matteo Pellicone (Italy)... Fifth at Grand Prix of Zagreb (Croatia)...
2020: Pan Am Olympic Qualifier champion... Pan Am championships gold medalist... Senior Nationals runner-up... Fifth at Matteo Pellicone (Italy)... 
2019: 16th at World Championships... Final X champion... U.S. Open champion... Third at Dave Schultz Memorial International (United States)... Fourth at Dave Schultz Memorial International (freestyle)... Fifth at Pan American Games...
2018: Lavrikov (Russia) champion... U.S. Open runner-up... Bill Farrell Memorial International (United States) champion (freestyle)... Third at Bill Farrelll Memorial International (Greco-Roman)... Fourth at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament (freestyle)... 
2017: Last Chance World Team Trials Qualifier champion (Freestyle)… Second in U.S. World Team Trials… Won the Freestyle Last Chance Qualifier at 86 kg…
2016: U.S. Olympic Trials champion… Second at Grand Prix Zagreb Open… U.S. Open champion…Second at 2nd World Olympic Games Qualifier…
2015: Bill Farrell International champion… Third in Grand Prix of Spain… Fourth in U.S. Open… Third in Hungarian Grand Prix… Grand Prix Zagreb Open Champion… Second in Dave Schultz Memorial International…
2014: Second in Minnesota Storm Holiday Cup… DNP in World Championships… Phase II World Team Trials champion… 10th in University World Championships at 85 kg… University Nationals champion… Northern Plains Regional champion
2013: Second in New York AC International… Fourth in U.S. Open…
2012: Fourth in University World Team Trials… Fourth in University Nationals…
2010: Seventh in University Nationals…
2009: Junior Nationals Greco-Roman champion… Eighth in Junior Nationals in freestyle…
College: 2013 NCAA Div. III champion for Elmhurst, where he was coached by past NCAA champion Steve Marianetti… Three-time All-American… Four-time conference champion… Conference wrestler of the year… Elmhurst College Athlete of the Year… Two-time place winner at Midlands Championships…
High School: Illinois state qualifier… two-time conference champion… freestyle state champion…
Personal: Son of Rick and Lisa Rau… Has two brothers, Ray and Jack, and one sister, Julie… Hobbies include skateboarding, singing, stand-up comedy, traveling, reading, anything outdoors, drinking coffee, eating new foods… 

Twitter: @raustler84
Instagram: @raustler