Indiana University Athletics
‘Best Version’ -- Sollars Pinning His Way to Success
1/30/2024 11:00:00 AM | Wrestling
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Gabe Sollars emerges from the flames.
Indiana has just clinched its second straight dual-meet victory over Purdue with Roman Rogotzke's dramatic overtime victory at 184 pounds, and Sollars seeks to extend the lead against the Boilers' Ben Vanadia.
A large Wilkinson Hall crowd is pumped, and so is Sollars as he jogs past the introductory flame display and onto the mat. He leads the nation with 11 pins as a promising 197-pound redshirt freshman, and more are coming.
Because this is the Big Ten, by far the nation's best wrestling conference, nothing will come easily.
It won't on this night, but that's getting ahead of the story.
Sometimes, you win by losing because there is -- always – if you care and believe, another chance.
Sollars is all in.
"I'd like to place in the NCAA this year," he says. "I'm sure I can do it."
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Not everyone is like, say, Angel Escobedo, who was a national title contender from the moment he stepped on the IU campus (he finished with one national championship and four All-America finishes) before becoming the Hoosiers head coach six years ago.
For most, success comes in measured steps, defeat is part of the deal, and Sollars is in the midst of it -- five straight losses, the last two by frustrating sudden death decision after seven regulation minutes weren't enough.
Still, the 17 victories and 11 pins reflect his potential. It's why Escobedo recruited Sollars after his dominant run at traditional state of Indiana power Evansville Mater Dei High School (13 team state titles) that ended with consecutive individual state championships.
Consider Sollars' recent 4-1 overtime loss to fifth-ranked Jaxon Smith of Maryland. It came after a couple of near-miss takedown opportunities might have delivered a victory. Five of his 10 losses have come to top-15 wrestlers.
"He almost beat a top-5 guy in the country," Escobedo says. "You don't like losses, but they teach you things. It's teaching him he can compete with those guys. He was all over (Smith). He out-wrestled him the whole match. The guy got him at the end.
"What a huge upside he has."
Sollars understands this even as he tries to regain his winning ways in a season that includes an individual title at The Battle of The Citadel and a seventh-place finish at PRTC Keystone Classic.
"I know I'm right there. I have to tell myself that. Sometimes I doubt myself a little bit. That's not giving respect to my coaches who have helped put me in this position or respect to myself.
"I'll be the same person when I walk into the room when I lost the match. I'll still be calm and collected."
Perspective matters.
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Sollars pins through on-top dominance, a combination of leg riding and cradle seeking that puts opponents in a world of hurt. It's produced 22 pins in less than two full seasons (as a true freshman, he wrestled unattached).
"He's phenomenal on top," Escobedo says. "We knew that coming out of high school. We said, this guy will score a lot of points. He's a pinner. Some guys just have it. He has that knockout power and his is from the top position.
"Most guys at that weight aren't well versed on top. They don't ride guys. That's his strong suit. When you get a guy who knows what to do on top at that weight class, you're going to get a lot of pins. We saw that upside and he's doing it."
Sollars's pinning knack comes from breaking the other guy's resistance. He punishes until an opponent's best option is look at the ceiling lights.
"If you make somebody tired enough," Sollars says, "they won't want to wrestle anymore. That's what I do. Make them not want to wrestle me again.
"I want to get tired. I'm ready for that. You put yourself out there and have fun."
Vanadia wanted no part of that fun. When it was his choice to start the second period in a 0-0 tie, he picked neutral, passing up a chance to earn a one-point escape and gambling he could get a three-point takedown. He didn't in that period, but did in the third after a Sollars escape. Sollars reversed for a 3-3 tie and nearly turned Vanadia before the third period ended, overtime began and Vanadia got the winning takedown.
Another near miss. Another chance to learn.
"I have to score more points," Sollars says. "It sounds redundant, but that's the beauty of it. Be the same person and focus on the small tweaks I have to make."
Those tweaks center on takedowns. If that becomes a strength to match his pinning ability, look out.
"My vision is to be the hardest wrestler I can. Not just try, but do, like Yoda says."
That would be the Star Wars Yoda, who famously told a young Luke Skywalker as he was learning to control the Force -- "There is no try. There is only do or do not."
"I want to improve on the things I have to and have the same mindset of wrestling hard, not getting discouraged, doing the things I've been taught to do and follow through," Sollars says.
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Sollars is majoring in comprehensive design. He wants to go into architecture designing houses and buildings. Its human-based design (he calls it "human functional") can make it easier for people, especially for those with disabilities.
"I want to make a house more capable and suitable for their needs."
Sollars' entrepreneurial mindset might one day tap into real estate and financial ventures in which he "plays the money game, but be smart with it. Not get greedy. Be a good person."
That's for later. For now, there are matches to win -- next up is a Sunday home meet with Michigan State, then top-10 powers Ohio State and Michigan and more. In March comes the Big Ten and NCAA tourneys.
IU is 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten, with a No. 28 national ranking. The goal is to become a consistent national power and prospects are promising.
"We have brothers on this team," Sollars says. "Men who aspire to make each other great – athletically, academically, spiritually and physically.
"The pinnacle of who I want to be is surrounding myself with these men. It gives me chills to talk about it. These guys are busting their (butts). To be around that, around people who go through the same struggles … if you struggle together you build together and figure it out."
Sollars appreciates what he has, to be part of a team with so much promise, because it won't last forever.
"There's nothing like it. When I get older and have a wife and kids, that will be fantastic, but I'm going to envy myself about this. I don't want to lose the wonder of what I have now.
"We have something great here. We might have lost a couple duals, but we still have that vision. We'll get there."
So will Sollars, one match, one move and one lesson learned at a time.
"I'm trying to be the best version of myself. If it doesn't go my way, so what. It's out of my control. If it's out of my control, don't worry about it."
Control comes with what's next. In wrestling, as in life, if you care and believe, there's always another chance.
