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Seth Gross shared his thoughts on competing against high school opponents. The former NCAA champion and three-time All-American wrestler expressed his positive views on the promising newcomers through his post on X.
The Apple Valley, Minnesota native recently lost the 61kg category final at the 2025 US Open Wrestling Championships to rising high school wrestler, Jax Forrest. Gross had an early lead but ultimately lost the final to the standout talent, who is a junior at Pennsylvania's Bishop McCort High School.
Through his X post, Gross shared his thoughts on facing high school opponents. Furthermore, he positively acknowledged the competition, highlighting his commitment to growth.
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"I’ve wrestled with Olympic champs, world champs, the best of the best. But some of the toughest matches I’ve had? Have been against high schoolers. Since hitting the senior level, I’ve taken losses to multiple wrestlers still in HS."
He continued:
"And truth is. They’ve earned every bit of my respect. They’re hungry. Dangerous. Creative. They’ve earned everything they’ve gotten. And I appreciate them for it. Because they’ve pushed me to stay sharp… to stay evolving."
During his collegiate career with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, he won the NCAA Championship title in the 133-pound category and finished his season with a 29-1 overall record. In 2017, he clinched the second position in the NCAA Championship in the same weight category.
The senior wrestler also participated in the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and 2021 World Team Trials in the 61 kg men's freestyle category.
Seth Gross reflects on coaching at the youth and collegiate levels
Seth Gross has served as the assistant coach of the Wisconsin Badgers wrestling team and currently coaches younger kids at Mat Pack Wrestling Club. During an interview with FloWrestling in February 2025, the wrestler shared his thoughts on the difference between coaching collegiate and young kids.
"It's easier to teach new kids of the sport how to do things the right way than it is to take a college kid and correct something that they've done for decades and so I think it's really cool at this level because it's like I'm responsible for building this foundation and that's what's going to hopefully propel them to where they need to go," he shared [4:51 onwards]
During his successful collegiate career, Gross was the Big 12 Conference Champion in the 133-pound category and was also named the Big 12 Conference Wrestler of the Year in 2017.
