WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE BIG 12S, NCAA TOURNAMENT
The University of Northern Colorado (13-5, 3-5 Big 12) completed its regular season schedule this weekend and began preparations for the postseason.
UNC has never won an individual national championship, but junior Andrew Alirez (141 pounds) is a strong favorite this season, and it still has other contenders. Alirez became the first Big 12 Champion in program history last season and earned a No. 1 ranking in November. He went undefeated in the regular season.
The Bears head to the Big 12 Championship from March 4-5 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They will travel back to Tulsa from March 16-18 for the NCAA Tournament.
A title for one, a title for all
Alirez wants to win a national title for himself, but he’s previously discussed the importance of winning for everyone who comes after him.
The local athlete won four state titles with Greeley Central High School. When he committed to UNC, coach Troy Nickerson planned to build the program around Alirez. The staff believed in his talent and ability to help strengthen the program further.
It’s taken a little longer than hoped to earn that coveted title. In 2020, the championship was canceled due to COVID. The next year, Alirez suffered an injury. In 2022, he finished just off the podium. Nothing is guaranteed, and Nickerson knows how tough it is to win a title — he earned one at Cornell — but it looks like Alirez could make it to the top.
For the Greeley local, achieving his goal would have personal significance and encourage others to attend UNC. He told the Tribune in January that winning a title — the one thing the Bears are missing — could elevate the Bears for years to come.
A loaded roster
Though everyone is excited about Alirez’s (20-0) expected NCAA qualification, UNC could have several other wrestlers earn a spot in the national tournament.
Freshman Stevo Poulin (125) has spent most of this season ranked in the top 20. His ranking has fluctuated some, but he holds a 24-5 record. Poulin’s record includes wins over opponents from Oklahoma State, West Virginia, South Dakota State and North Dakota State.
Fellow freshman Vincent Zerban (157, 16-8) and graduate student Andrew Berreyesa (174, 20-10) hovered in the rankings around the high 20s and low 30s.
Poulin and Berreyesa could earn a spot at nationals via automatic qualification or an at-large bid. They don’t necessarily need to win Big 12s but could earn a spot depending on the number of pre-allocations given to the league for each weight class.
Nickerson said four or five other wrestlers have a shot at qualifying, as well, but they’ll have to “do it the hard way” and compete well at the conference tournament.
Junior Jace Koelzer (133, 19-9) and grad student Chris Sandoval (149, 15-8) have both made trips to nationals in the past.
Sandoval upset the No. 1 seed in the 2019 Big 12
Tournament to advance. He’s going into the postseason with a three-match win streak and with a 9-2 record in the last 11 duals.
Koelzer earned his first trip to the NCAAs last season and finished with a 1411 record.
Additionally, freshman Baylor Fernandes (165, 189) is also a contender. He’s won seven of the last nine duals and upset wrestlers from Purdue, Oklahoma State and Missouri this season.
Junior Xavier Vasquez (187, 14-12) and freshmen Andrew Donahue (184, 136) and Xavier Doolin (285, 9-11) are not strong favorites, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see some upsets in the tournament for a fringe qualification.
Peaking at the right time
Every college athlete and coach talks about performing their best at the end of the regular season and into the postseason. It’s great to win in December, but that doesn’t always mean much.
Nickerson said the teams usually look their best at Big 12s. He feels like this year’s squad is in the same position.
“The plan wasn’t to feel our best last week, and it wasn’t to feel our best this weekend. It is to feel our best in two weeks,” Nickerson said Sunday. “As long as that plan keeps working, and we keep looking our best at the end of the year, we’re gonna stick to it.”
The league hasn’t released pre-seeds nor has the NCAA released allocations, but the Bears want to shock the college wrestling world this year.
“I just hope to go lead and show them that it can be done, so when they go out there, they’re feeling a sense of confidence (in) this training program that it works,” Alirez said. “I think we’re in a great spot and ready to roll.”
-UNC should have three NCAA qualifiers but could send more, depending on the Big 12 Tournament results.
-Andrew Alirez won the program’s first Big 12 title in 2022 and is expected to repeat.
-Alirez is also favored to win the 141-weight class at nationals.
-No Bear has ever won a national title on the Division I level.
-The Big 12 Tournament takes place on March 4-5 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
-Sessions 1-3 of the Big 12 Tournament will be available on ESPN+, while Session 4 is set to be broadcast on ESPNU.
-The NCAA Tournament is scheduled for March 1618 in Tulsa.
-Sessions 1, 3 and 5 of the NCAA Tournament will be broadcast on ESPNU.
-Sessions 2, 4 and 6 will be on ESPN.