Sammy Alvarez becomes an All-American wrestler at NCAA

Sammy Alvarez has reached a major milestone in his wrestling career. The Rider University senior became an All-American after winning a critical match at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. He defeated Jordan Williams from Little Rock by a score of 5-0 in the blood round, solidifying his spot among the best. Alvarez's path to this moment has been long and challenging. He began his college career at Rutgers and was ranked as the No. 10 seed in 2020. Unfortunately, the tournament that year was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing him from competing. Weight issues later caused Alvarez to transfer, spending time at Oklahoma State without a steady position. This year, Alvarez focused all his energy on making the NCAA tournament. He won three crucial matches, culminating in his victory over Williams, which required winning by a commanding margin. Rider's coach praised Alvarez for his dedication and perseverance throughout his journey. Alvarez pointed to his coaches and the crowd as time expired in his winning match. He expressed how much hard work and support he had received over the years. Although he faced many doubts from critics, Alvarez's success at the NCAA tournament signifies a personal victory for him and highlights Rider's strong wrestling program.