‘All offers are on the table’ for Greeley’s Andrew Alirez in wrestling transfer portal

TULSA, OK – MARCH 18: University of Northern Colorado junior Andrew Alirez celebrates after winning the 141-pound title match at the NCAA Wrestling Championships on Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He beat Real Woods of Iowa, 6-4, and gave the program its first title of the modern era. (Jadyn Watson-Fisher/reporter)

Andrew Alirez said he is considering “several offers” for his future in college wrestling and hopes to make a decision in about a week on where he stands for the 2024-25 season.

Alirez declined to say which schools he was considering, and he also refused to confirm or deny any reports of money being offered to him since he entered the NCAA transfer portal.

“I was offered a substantial amount of money, especially for a 23-year-old player, and I’m grateful to be in this position,” he said in a phone call Friday.

UNC coach Troy Nickerson confirmed Alirez was in the transfer portal earlier this month. Nickerson said this week he cannot comment on athletes in the transfer portal.

Alirez was a four-time state champion and nationally recognized high school wrestler at Greeley Central High School from 2015 to 2019. He won an NCAA title at 141 pounds for the University of Northern Colorado in March 2023. L last summer, Alirez won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at 65 kilograms (143.3 pounds) competing for Team USA at the Polish Open in Warsaw, Poland.

Alirez, who has one year of college eligibility remaining, redshirted an Olympic year at UNC in 2023-24 to train for the U.S. Olympic Trials last month. He did not qualify for the U.S. team that will compete in the Paris Olympics later this year.

Reports on social media recently stated that the University of Iowa offered Alirez $500,000 in name, image and likeness funds to join the Hawkeyes, who are an established and renowned program.

The Wrestling Room, the social media platform active with Alirez News earlier this month, also said that Oklahoma State matched Iowa’s offer and that UNC offered it $150,000 to stay in Greeley.

Alirez also declined Friday to discuss UNC’s role and place in his transfer situation, saying, “No door is closed, and I will wait and see and make a decision.”

“All options are on the table,” Alirez added. “I’ll listen to them and take the best offer.”

He said the best opportunity for him included financial compensation as a wrestler and considerations about schools. Alirez said he wants to finish his studies. Alirez was studying sports and exercise science at UNC.

“The best place for me, that suits me, that I love and can be there for an extended period of time,” Alirez said. “Now in the NIL era where athletes can get paid and that’s huge to prepare me for the future.”