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Oklahoma State wrestling: Alex Dieringer determined to compete at 2021 Olympic Trials after ACL surgery

The three-time NCAA champion says he’ll “do everything in my power to make sure I am ready for the Olympics Trials.”

2016 United World Wrestling World Cup Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Alex Dieringer had reconstructive surgery on his ACL and meniscus Wednesday, the former Oklahoma State star wrestler announced on Instagram.

“Although a situation like this can make me feel down, I’ll never feel out,” the three-time NCAA champion and 2016 Dan Hodge Trophy winner wrote. “I’m determined to come back stronger than ever before. I will stay positive and do everything in my power to make sure I am ready for the Olympics Trials.”

The Trials were scheduled for April 4-5, 2020 at the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State, before they were postponed to 2021 because of COVID-19 health concerns. The event is expected to be held next April, which would give Dieringer only five months to recover from a surgery that usually takes much longer to recover from.

Dieringer last competed in a freestyle match against Bo Nickal in a Nittany Lion Wrestling Club event in September, when he fell 1-1 on criteria.

In June, Dieringer moved to the Michigan RTC in Ann Arbor, Michigan, after nine years in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He won the Bill Farrell International last November and earned top-three finishes at the 2019 U.S. Senior Nationals the next month (bronze), Matteo Pellicone International in January (silver) and won the Pan-American Championships in March.