Greco talent Alex Sancho won't settle for less than first at 2017 U.S. Open

Alex Sancho is ready to start of the new quad with a win, hunting down the 2017 U.S. Open title at 66 kg this weekend.

Over the past year, Sancho, who trains at Northern Michigan University, has solidified himself as one of the best Greco-Roman wrestlers in the nation, going from a fifth-place finish at the 2016 U.S. Open to earning a spot on the U.S. National Team at two different weights in the same year.

At the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Sancho fell to eventual Olympic Trials champion RaVaughan Perkins in the first round. He battled his way back through the consolation bracket and faced Greco veteran Ellis Coleman in the third-place bout.


Coleman held an impressive resume that included 2012 Olympian, 2013 World Team member, four-time National Team member, two-time U.S. Open champion and a Junior World bronze medalist.


Sancho faced the challenge head on.


Coleman compiled a 2-1 lead after the first period. Sancho responded early in the second with a four-point move to take over, 5-2. The lead was insurmountable for Coleman and Sancho held on for a 6-4 win.


“It was a good motivational win, and it told me that I’m at that level to be the best guy in the United States and move on to World and Olympic championships,” Sancho said. “It’s nice to beat those talented guys. I just prove to myself that I’m right there with them. Overall, I’m pretty satisfied with that tournament, but I wanted to win.”


A spot on the National Team was not enough for the Florida native. After hearing that United World Wrestling would host a Non-Olympic Weight World Team Trials in December, Sancho set his sights on making the World Team at 71 kg.


The World Team Trials were hosted alongside the Bill Farrell International in New York City in November.


Seeded No. 2 in the tournament, Sancho opened with back-to-back technical falls, one of which came over Coleman in the semifinals.


Waiting for him in the finals was Chris Gonzalez, a former Northern Michigan teammate, who had a recent win over Sancho in the consolation semis of the U.S. Open last December.


The best-of-three finals series was a dramatic one with Sancho taking the first bout with a 2-1 win by way of a first-period takedown.


Gonzalez tied the series with a 2-1 win of his own with every point coming from passivity penalties.


The deciding bout went to Gonzalez, who scored a late takedown to seal the win and leave Sancho just shy of his World Team dreams once again.


“It was a tough series,” Sancho said. “I’ve got to give it to Chris. He’s a big, strong 71-kilo guy. It was a grind the whole time. I tried attempting [throws] a couple of times and he would just get closed off, and I couldn’t do anything. What I learned from that is that I need to open up myself more and get myself in good positions. That’s something I’m working on now.”


Sancho admits that even with his significant improvement, he finds it difficult to reflect on the past year. However, he made a promise to himself to keep pursuing his dream no matter what happened.


“The past year was rough because I didn’t make the Olympic team, which was my goal for the last four years,” Sancho said. “Going into the Trials, I told myself that no matter what happens, I’m going to keep going and getting better for the next quad and make World Teams along the way. My goal is to win World and Olympic titles.”


But before taking on the world, Sancho is zeroed in on a new goal—winning the 2017 U.S. Open in Las Vegas this weekend.


A top-seven finish will qualify him for the World Team Trials in April, but a championship performance would increase his chance of a higher seed.


“Last year at the Open, I had a pretty rough tournament,” Sancho said. “I just can’t leave my matches up to the referees. I have to go out there and attempt and wrestle how I wrestle. That’s how I’m going to win most of my matches. I told myself after that tournament last year that I shouldn’t be losing in the semis and going for fifth. I need to be wrestling for first.”


The 66 kg field is tough and features guys like Coleman, the reigning U.S. Open champion, but Sancho said he’s more than ready for the challenge.


“I have to wrestle my style,” Sancho said. “My par terre is there and I’m not so worried. I’m going to go into the tournament with the mindset of just wrestling. I’m not worried about who I’m wrestling. I’ll be there to win.”