Jason Tsirtsis is an NCAA champion, two-time All-American and three-time NCAA qualifier (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)Jason Tsirtsis, 2014 NCAA 149-pound champ for Northwestern, revealed the reasons why he won't be wrestling for the Wildcats this upcoming season during a FloWrestling interview with Mark Bader on Wednesday.
"I had a rough year last year in a couple different areas of my life," Tsirtsis disclosed. "I got put on academic probation. I fell short in one of my classes, so I got released for a year, and I have to go somewhere else to finish my last year of wrestling eligibility-wise if that's what I want to do. Pretty much that's why I'm transferring."
Tsirtsis said he was happy at Northwestern and was "really excited" about the direction of the program.
"I'm not a leaving for a better program or anything like that," said Tsirtsis. "It just didn't work out academically."
Tsirtsis is not sure yet if he will be eligible to compete this upcoming season. He said that he's been talking to three schools: Iowa State, University of Northern Iowa and Arizona State about transferring. While he doesn't have a specific deadline for announcing a college decision, he said, "The quicker, the better."
The Crown Point, Indiana native said he had been placed on academic probation during winter quarter this year. To stay at Northwestern, he needed to earn a C; instead, he received a D+ for that class.
"Last September, my sister passed away in a tragic car accident, which definitely was brutal on our family," said Tsirtsis. "Then in late October, my best childhood best friend -- we're still best friends -- he passed away tragically with a heart attack. So those two things mentally put me in a tough state last year."
Tsirtsis, a four-time Indiana high school state champ, got off to a tremendous start at Northwestern, winning the 149-pound title at the 2014 NCAAs. He also won the Big Ten conference crown at 149 that year, and was named 2014 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and 2014 InterMat Freshman of the Year. The following year he won his second Big Ten title, and placed third at 149 at the 2015 NCAAs, earning All-American honors. This past season he compiled a record of 15-9 and qualified for the NCAAs, going 2-2 in New York City.
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