GREELEY, Colo. — Andrew Alirez is synonymous with winning: Four straight state wrestling titles at Greeley Central High School, and now he’s a back-to-back Big 12 champion.
“I’m grateful for any wins that I could get,” Alirez Said. “I believe you show gratitude and appreciation for any victory big or small. I believe it’s gonna attract more so, but that’s not what we were trying to do over the course of the season. It wasn’t to win a Big 12 title. It’s to go do the big one.”
Two years ago, ‘the big one’ became unattainable, after the UNC star had to withdraw from the NCAA Championships after sustaining an injury in practice. His chance at a national title disappeared.
“There’s always your moments,” Alirez reflected. “During the recovery process and all that where you don’t feel right, and you’re kinda like ‘damn I hope I can get back to the person I was.’ Nothing’s gonna phase me. I’ve been to the bottom. I believe to reach the top you gotta hit that rock bottom.”
Alirez has been the number one ranked wrestler in the country all season and it’s the junior’s mindset that head coach Troy Nickerson experiences first hand.
“It’s just that focus, that drive, that shows how bad he wants it right now,” said Nickerson. “He’s totally locked in, I mean this is everything to him. He’s in the best position to win this weekend.”
Alirez was awarded a 2-seed and will face No. 31 Joseph Zargo from Wisconsin Thursday morning at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Bears also have freshmen Stevo Poulin and Vinny Zerban competing at the NCAA Championships.
“I’m confident,” Alirez smiled. “I feel the stars have aligned for me. I believe it’s almost my destiny. I have no nerves or nothing in me. I’ve put in the work since August of last year. Hard work. I feel great.”
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