# Joe Rau

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{{Short description|American wrestler (born 1991)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Joe Rau
| image = JoeRau (49844512893).jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = Rau in 2020
| full_name = Josef Patrick Rau                 
| nationality = 
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|03|17}}
| birth_place = [Chicago, Illinois](/source/Chicago), U.S.
| height = 6 ft 1 in
| sport = [Wrestling](/source/Wrestling)
| country = United States
| event = [Greco-Roman](/source/Greco-Roman_wrestling) and [Folkstyle](/source/Collegiate_wrestling)
| weight_class = 97 kg
| collegeteam = [Elmhurst University](/source/Elmhurst_University)
| club = Titan Mercury Wrestling Club<br>Minnesota Storm
| team = USA
| show-medals =
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Men's [Greco-Roman wrestling](/source/Greco-Roman_wrestling)}}
{{MedalCountry|the {{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[Pan American Championships](/source/Pan_American_Wrestling_Championships)}}
{{MedalGold|2015 Santiago de Chile|80 kg}}
{{MedalGold|[2020 Ottawa](/source/2020_Pan_American_Wrestling_Championships)|87 kg}}
{{MedalGold|[2023 Buenos Aires](/source/2023_Pan_American_Wrestling_Championships)|97 kg}}
{{MedalCompetition|Grand Prix}}
{{MedalSilver|[2016 Zagreb](/source/2016_Grand_Prix_Zagreb_Open)|98 kg}}
{{MedalBronze|2015 Madrid|98 kg}}
{{MedalCompetition|Dan Kolov & Nikola Petrov Tournament}}
{{MedalBronze|[2024 Sofia](/source/2024_Dan_Kolov_%26_Nikola_Petrov_Tournament)|97 kg}}
{{MedalCompetition|Dave Schultz Memorial International}}
{{MedalSilver|2015 Colorado Springs|80 kg}}
{{MedalBronze|2019 Colorado Springs|87 kg}}
{{MedalSport|Men's [collegiate wrestling](/source/collegiate_wrestling)}}
{{MedalCountry| [Elmhurst University](/source/Elmhurst_University)}}
{{MedalCompetition| [NCAA Division III Championships](/source/NCAA_Division_III_Wrestling_Championships) }}
{{MedalGold|2013 Cedar Rapids|184 lb}}
{{MedalBronze|2012 La Crosse|184 lb}}
}}

'''Josef Patrick "Joe" Rau''' ({{IPAc-en|r|aʊ}}; born March 17, 1991)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/josef-patrick-rau_1955472|title=RAU Josef|date=2025 |access-date=13 January 2025}}</ref> is an American [Greco-Roman wrestler](/source/Greco-Roman_wrestling).

==High school career==
Rau wrestled for [St. Patrick High School](/source/St._Patrick_High_School_(Chicago)) in [Chicago, Illinois](/source/Chicago), but never placed at the state tournament.<ref name="chicagotribune1">{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/international/ct-chicago-wrestler-joe-rau-olympics-20160506-story.html |title=Chicago wrestler Joe Rau fails in Olympics quest |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date=2016-04-10 |accessdate=2017-05-22}}</ref> He was an [Illinois](/source/Illinois) state qualifier, two-time conference champion and freestyle state champion.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Team USA - Joe Rau|url=https://www.teamusa.org/usa-wrestling/athletes/Joe-Rau|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924140916/http://www.teamusa.org/usa-wrestling/athletes/Joe-Rau|archive-date=September 24, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==College career==
At [Elmhurst College](/source/Elmhurst_College), Rau was coached by past NCAA champion Steve Marianetti and won the 184 pound title at the 2013 [NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships](/source/NCAA_Division_III_Wrestling_Championships).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/international/ct-olympics-wrestling-chicagoan-joe-rau-spt-0420-20160417-story.html |title=Chicago wrestler's remarkable journey reaches brink of Olympics |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date= |accessdate=2017-05-22}}</ref> He is a three-time NCAA DIII All-American and 2014 University Nationals Champion. Rau was named Conference Wrestler of the Year, Elmhurst College Athlete of the Year and became two-time place winner at Midlands Championships.<ref name=":0" />

==Senior career==
Joe Rau is a two-time Senior World Team Member (2014, 2019), and two-time U.S. Open champion (2016, 2019).<ref name=":0" />

He competed in the [97{{nbsp}}kg](/source/Wrestling_at_the_2024_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men's_Greco-Roman_97_kg) event at the [2024 Summer Olympics](/source/2024_Summer_Olympics) in Paris, France.<ref name="wrestling_results_book_summer_olympics_2024">{{Cite web |title=Wrestling Results Book |url=https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/WRE/OG2024_WRE_B99_WRE-------------------------------.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240811181048/https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/WRE/OG2024_WRE_B99_WRE-------------------------------.pdf |archive-date=11 August 2024 |access-date=12 August 2024 |website=2024 Summer Olympics}}</ref>

In 2021, he placed fifth in several international tournaments in Europe: Grand Prix of Zagreb Open in [Croatia](/source/Croatia), the Olympic Preparation Tournament in [Hungary](/source/Hungary) and the ranking tournament [Matteo Pellicone](/source/Matteo_Pellicone_Ranking_Series_2021) in [Italy](/source/Italy).<ref>{{Cite web|title=5PM - Italy|date=March 4, 2021 |url=http://www.fivepointmove.com/usa-greco/day-1-rome-ildar-jones-rau-miss-medals/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=5PM - Hungary|date=February 13, 2021 |url=http://www.fivepointmove.com/usa-greco/germinaro-gregerson-rau-hungary/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=5PM - Croatia|date=January 17, 2021 |url=http://www.fivepointmove.com/usa-greco/rau-5th-21-zagreb/}}</ref>

In 2020, Rau won gold at the Pan-American Championships and the Pan-American Olympic Qualifier. In doing so, effectively secured the Olympic spot for [Team USA](/source/Team_USA) at 87&nbsp;kg for the 2020 Olympics in [Tokyo, Japan.](/source/Tokyo)<ref name=":0" />

In 2019, he became [Final X](/source/Final_X%3A_Rutgers) champion after scoring on [Ben Provisor](/source/Ben_Provisor) in the last seconds of the last finals match. Rau won the U.S. Open and came third at the Dave Schultz Memorial International. He placed fourth at the same tournament in Freestyle.<ref name=":0" />

In 2018, Rau earned gold at the Lavrikov Championships in [Russia](/source/Russia) and the Bill Farrell Memorial International in [Freestyle](/source/Freestyle_wrestling). In [Greco-Roman](/source/Greco-Roman_wrestling) he took third at the Bill Farrell Memorial International. He placed second in the Haparanda Cup in [Sweden](/source/Sweden) and the U.S. Open. He came in fourth at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Freestyle.<ref name=":0" />

In 2017, after failing to qualify for the World Team in Greco-Roman, he earned a spot in the freestyle trials by way of a last chance qualifier.<ref>{{cite web|last=Holmes|first=Ryan|date=May 22, 2017|title=Joe Rau Throwing Greco In Freestyle|url=http://www.flowrestling.org/article/56485-joe-rau-throwing-greco-in-freestyle#.WSNvSWjyuUk|accessdate=2017-05-22|publisher=FloWrestling}}</ref> Rau became runner-up in the U.S. World Team Trials and U.S. Open.<ref name=":0" />

In 2016, he won Olympic Team Trials, U.S. Open. He took silver at the Grand Prix of Zagreb Open and bronze at Pan-American Games Qualifier. He took ninth at the Second World Olympic Games Qualifier.<ref name=":0" />

In 2015, Rau won the Pan-American Championships as well as a host of other domestic and international tournaments: Senior Nationals & Trials Qualifier, Bill Farrell International Tournament and the Grand Prix Zagreb Open. Additionally he took second at the Dave Schultz Memorial International, third at the Grand Prix of Spain and the Hungarian Grand Prix. He came in fourth in the U.S. Open.<ref name=":0" />

In 2014, Rau became Phase II World Team Trials champion. He competed at the [2014 World Wrestling Championships](/source/2014_World_Wrestling_Championships) at [80 kg](/source/2014_World_Wrestling_Championships_%E2%80%93_Men's_Greco-Roman_80_kg).  He lost in the first round to [Jonas Bossert](/source/Jonas_Bossert) of [Switzerland](/source/Switzerland) by fall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theguillotine.com/wp/2014/09/minnesota-storm-wrestler-joe-rau-goes-0-1-at-world-championships/|title = Minnesota Storm wrestler Joe Rau goes 0-1 at World Championships|date = September 13, 2014}}</ref> He won gold at the University Nationals Championships and Northern Plains Regional Championships.<ref name=":0" />

In 2013, he became the runner-up at the New York AC International Tournament and took fourth place in the U.S. Open.<ref name=":0" />

In 2012, Rau came in third at the Canada Cup in Freestyle.<ref name=":0" />

As of October 2025, he is now the Head Coach of Beat the Streets Wrestling in New York. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Cain |first=Brandon |date=2025-10-01 |title=U.S. Olympian Joe Rau named Head Coach of Beat the Streets New York |url=https://www.btsny.org/post/usa-wrestling-olympian-joe-rau-new-beat-the-streets-nyc-head-coach |access-date=2025-12-07 |website=Beat the Streets |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{UWW|rau-josef-patrick|Josef Patrick Rau}}
* {{IWD|3B14100F320C4D98BDBE459C23F61780|Josef Patrick Rau}}
* {{Olympics.com|josef-patrick-rau|Josef Patrick Rau}}
* [https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/josef-patrick-rau_1955472 Josef Patrick Rau] at the [Paris 2024 Summer Olympics](/source/Paris_2024_Summer_Olympics)
* [https://www.themat.com/profiles/josef-rau Josef Rau] at [USA Wrestling](/source/USA_Wrestling)
* {{Team USA|new_id=josef-rau|name=Josef Rau|old_id=Joe-Rau|sport=usa-wrestling|archive=20210228043625}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rau, Joe}}
Category:Living people
Category:American male sport wrestlers
Category:1991 births
Category:Pan American Wrestling Championships medalists
Category:Wrestlers at the 2019 Pan American Games
Category:Wrestlers at the 2023 Pan American Games
Category:Pan American Games wrestlers for the United States
Category:Elmhurst University alumni
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:Elmhurst Bluejays
Category:Martial artists from Chicago
Category:Wrestlers at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic wrestlers for the United States

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Joe Rau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Rau) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Rau?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.