Stagg wrestler Jihad Suleiman said his first varsity campaign set the foundation for a major leap, giving him confidence and structure as he enters his sophomore year with momentum and higher expectations.
“It was my first season on varsity,” said Suleiman. “I lost in the blood round, but I worked my butt off last season. I’m really mixing things up this season.”
According to Suleiman, his development has been unusually fast for an athlete with only four years of total experience. He climbed from a second-year wrestler to a sectional qualifier in one season. His rapid growth has already positioned him ahead of the typical learning curve for his age.
Suleiman’s style is shaped by pacing and endurance, built around deliberate setups, high-crutches, and pressure wrestling. He is especially dangerous late in matches, using a deep gas tank to turn deficits into comebacks.
His motivation is rooted in long-standing family ties to combat sports, drawing inspiration from a background filled with wrestlers and fighters who helped steer him toward the mat.
Suleiman’s approach reflects the mental discipline needed to accelerate through the sport’s demands, allowing him to keep evolving as he adjusts to tougher competition and more complex positions.
