Escobedo takes 3rd at NCAAs

Angel Escobedo will go down as one of the greatest wrestlers in IU history.

The senior wanted nothing more than to establish that with a second national title to cap off his IU career. Unfortunately for Escobedo, that was not in the cards at the NCAA Championships in Omaha, Neb., last weekend.

A third-place finish at the 125-pounds weight class makes Escobedo the first four-time All-American in school history. Saturday closed Escobedo’s final season at IU at a place that he is all too familiar with — the podium.

“I was happy that I was able to come back and win at wrestle backs, but at the same time, it’s sad to know that my college career is over,” Escobedo said.

Since Escobedo underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason, another national title has been the driving force behind his impeccable work ethic. Simply winning a match was not enough to satisfy Escobedo. The Griffith, Ind., native has earned the reputation of a gym rat throughout his time at IU.

Most wrestlers usually throw on some warmups after a match and join their teammates on the bench for the rest of the meet. Escobedo is not one of those guys.

Because Escobedo was usually wrestling in the first match of the night, he would throw on his warmups and jump rope to get another workout in. And if he was not doing that, he was just another assistant coach on the bench, engaged in every match. The passion for excellence that Escobedo has exemplified during his time at IU is something that will be hard to replace for this program.

Division-I sports have increasingly struggled with the loyalty of coaches and players in the past few years, but Escobedo has been the poster child for a student-athlete maintaining loyalty to a school.

As a four-time high school state champion in Indiana, Escobedo could have wrestled at Iowa, where wrestling national champions are seemingly grown in the cornfields.

But Escobedo decided to stay in state and try and bring IU back to the top of the Big Ten. It is a decision Escobedo is constantly asked about by reporters. And it is answered the same way every time.

“I don’t regret my decision to come to IU,” Escobedo said. “Wrestling for IU has helped me grow as a wrestler and it has helped me grow as a person, which is why I don’t think I’d be the person I am today if I had went to Iowa.”

Escobedo’s resume from his five years at IU is nothing short of historic. He is the first Hoosier to win three Big Ten titles, one of 10 Hoosiers to win a national championship and now an All-American for the most times in school history.

While he fell short of his main goal last weekend, Escobedo leaves IU with a legacy that will live on for future generations.

“Angel’s season, to me, is not defined by that one match,” IU coach Duane Goldman said. “He has been so special to our program and has been such an ambassador for us. Student athletes like Angel don’t come around often. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever had one as talented as Angel in my career.”