Princeton University Athletics
Magic Juan
March 01, 2001 | General
Juan Venturi is enjoying an outstanding season on the wrestling mats at Princeton. The junior has been overpowering opponents at the 133-pound weight class, and is considered by many to be the Tigers' most talented wrestler. Venturi is a big reason why Princeton is off to a 7-2 start and has dreams of an Ivy League championship.
While Venturi is hoping to enjoy team and individual success at Princeton, the Houston native has his sites set on an even bigger prize in the future. Someday Juan Venturi is hoping to bring home an Olympic gold medal.
Venturi made an immediate impact with the Tigers when he joined the squad in 1997. But after an impressive two years at Princeton, he decided to take a year off to go to Colorado Springs. That is the site of the Olympic Training Center, and that is where Venturi settled in as a resident athlete. It gave him a chance to train at the same place where Olympic champions are born. It not only gave Venturi a taste of what Olympic training is like, but it also made him a better wrestler for the Tigers. After impressive freshman and sophomore seasons, Venturi is on pace to become one of the nation's best this winter.
It all began for Venturi at South Houston High School. He was a dominant wrestler on the high school level and had a choice of several Division I colleges to attend. Venturi finally decided the combination of academics and athletics at Princeton would be the perfect fit. It would prove to be the right fit for the wrestling program the first day Venturi stepped onto the mat.
He came up with several impressive performances in his first year and was an honorable mention All-Ivy League selection and finished third in the league's Rookie of the Year voting.
As the 118-pound grappler began to grow his sophomore season, the coaching staff decided Venturi would be a better fit at 133. Some wondered if Venturi would have a tougher time in the higher weight class. However, Venturi continued to impress during his second year and began the season in grand style when he captured the 133-pound individual title at the Ivy Kickoff Classic. He took down Cornell's Sean Doyle to capture the crown and brought home the only championship of the day for the Tigers.
Venturi is lighting fast on the mat. He is considered by many to have the best takedown move on the team, which is why several of Venturi's matches end quickly. His focus on the Olympics is still as strong as ever, but the junior returned to Princeton hungry for championships in the EIWA. Venturi returned to Colorado Springs for more work in December, but is back with the Tigers for the remainder of the season and will concentrate on an Ivy League championship.
It has been a successful season so far for coach Michael New and the Tigers. Princeton's only losses have come at the hands of New York University and top-ranked Minnesota. The Tigers won three of their four matches at the Roger Williams Dual Meet Classic in Rhode Island. Princeton also picked up three convincing victories at the East Stroudsburg Duals, and the team continued to impress with a win over their Garden State rivals from The College of New Jersey. Venturi has lost just one match this season, while winning all three of his contests at East Stroudsburg, and he picked up another victory against TCNJ.
The Ivy League schedule gets underway in February, and the Tigers believe their non-conference contests will make them better prepared for the stretch drive. The Tigers haven't been on top of the league since 1985-86, and Venturi and his teammates are hoping to break the drought this winter. The Tigers will find out in a hurry with match-ups against Brown and Harvard the first weekend in February, followed by a trip to Philadelphia on Valentine's Day to battle four-time champion Pennsylvania.
A mechanical engineering major, Venturi is hoping to wrestle against the world in 2004 or 2008. For now, wrestling in the Olympics remains a dream. It may one day become a reality. Until the day comes, he will continue to be a force to be reckoned with for the Princeton Tigers.
by Ed Benkin