Preview: Alvarez Out as Rutgers Wrestling Prepares for Big Ten Tournament

The closest thing to normalcy this year may be the excitement and anticipation for the Big Ten tournament. The COVID riddled season has led to matches being cancelled, starters missing time, and simply created the strangest season possibly of all time.

However, the one thing that remains the same is the difficulty of the Big Ten tournament. Some people will argue it is more difficult to win a Big Ten tournament than the NCAA tournament, and that could very well be the case in some of these weight classes. Gearing up for such a difficult task is not easy, especially for Rutgers wrestling who has not competed in nearly six weeks.

“We’ve stayed about as prepared as can be. We’ve had some really high-spirited, high-energy practices. We’ve tried to simulate with matches”, head coach Scott Goodale told the media on Thursday.

We just haven’t wrestled. It’s like opening day, really. We haven’t wrestled in five, six weeks”.

Unfortunately for Rutgers wrestling, they received a blow this morning, as Sammy Alvarez was announced to be sitting out of the post-season. Alvarez, who struggled with weight all season, is not within a surmountable weight to 133 pounds. Not that anything is guaranteed in the sport of wrestling, but Rutgers wrestling felt very good about Alvarez punching his ticket this weekend to the national tournament.

FREE PREMIUM ACCESS UNTIL MAY — CLICK HERE FOR MORE

In addition to Alvarez, Rob Kanniard will not be wrestling due to COVID-19 protocol. Rutgers has not entered a participant in at 157-lbs, hoping Kanniard’s resume, though limited, is strong enough to earn him a wildcard bid to the national tournament.

“He’s a nationally ranked kid. His resume isn’t great from a wins and losses standpoint, but his resume is pretty good based on who he’s wrestled”, Goodale said when asked about Kanniard’s chances at a national tournament bid. “He has wrestled 5, 6, and 8 in the country, and he has wrestled them all very competitively. We’re Cleary fans now”.

Ohio State’s Elijah Cleary was Kanniard’s lone win on the season. If Cleary were to earn an automatic bid this weekend, it would certainly improve Kanniard’s chances at getting one of the remaining seven wildcard bids.

Replacing Alvarez will be Shane Metzler, but Metzler is not the only new face in the lineup this weekend. Dylan Shawver will be making his varsity debut this weekend at 125-lbs, after beating 2020 NCAA qualifier Nic Aguilar for the starting spot.

Shawver was not the only wrestler who had to earn his trip to the Big Ten tournament. Jackson Turley and Christian Colucci both wrestled off to earn the nod for conference championship. Turley defeated veteran Joe Grello, where as Colucci bested 2020 JUCO national champion Boone McDermott.

The Scarlet Knight who will have the most focus on him this weekend is undoubtedly Sebastian Rivera. Rivera, a two-time Big Ten champion, is seeded third, behind Penn State’s Nick Lee and Iowa’s Jaydin Eierman.

Rivera, judging by historical data, a factor in seeding, could have arguably been seeded first. Where he is placed is not a concern to Goodale, as he feels his prized transfer from this past off-season will be hungry to prove he is the top 141-lber in the nation.

“I think it motivates him. He knew where he was going to be placed. I probably argued (the seeding) the most”, Goodale said regarding Rivera’s seed. “You know how hard it is to win this tournament? He has done it twice”.

Regardless of his placement in the bracket, Goodale is confident in Rivera’s ability, preparation, and experience.

“He’s a veteran, he has been in so many big matches. He trains super, super hard, and he has continued that all the way through. He seems like he is in a great spot. Sebastian Rivera is totally prepared to wrestle this tournament”.