Alec Pantaleo named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week

Alec Pantaleo (USA) image from Zagreb Open. Photo by Kadir Caliskan, United World Wrestling

Alec Pantaleo (Ann Arbor, Mich./Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC) has been selected as USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week on February 7.

Pantaleo won a gold medal at 70 kg in men’s freestyle at the Zagreb Open Ranking Tournament in Zagreb, Croatia, on February 1. Pantaleo was one of four U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers to win gold at the Zagreb Open, helping the United States win the team title at the event.

Pantaleo opened with a pair of 10-0 technical fall victories, dominating both Vishal Kaliramana of India and Agudamu of China. In the semifinals, Pantaleo defeated 2022 U23 World silver medalist Khadzhimurad Gadzhiyev of Azerbaijan, 5-3. In the championship finals, Pantaleo added a 5-2 decision over three-time World champion and two-time Olympic medalist Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan.

Pantaleo was a 2021 Pan American champion and has competed at both the U23 and U20 World Championships. He was a 2022 U.S. Open champion and has been a U.S. Open placewinner six times. Pantaleo was an NCAA Div. I All-American for Michigan.

Each week USA Wrestling will select an Athlete of the Week based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling from youth programs through the senior level.

To nominate a wrestler for this honor please send the athlete's name, wrestling program, weekly accomplishments and career accolades to USA Wrestling Director of Communications Gary Abbott at gabbott@usawrestling.org