Co-Captain Julian Rios ’26 is no stranger to the wrestling mat. Under the guidance of his father who used to wrestle in high school, Rios began his athletic journey at age three, officially beginning his wrestling career at age six. Toward the start of this season, he reached 100 career wins. He also ranked third in the 2025 National Prep Wrestling Championships, earning him his third All-American title. He is a three-time NEPSAC Class A and New England Prep champion. According to Sports Illustrated, Rios is currently ranked 27th nationally in the 126-pound division.
According to Rios, his family dynamic shaped his early exposure to the sport. His brother and father, specifically, guided him toward his love for wrestling.
“[My dad] always loved wrestling, so I’ve always been around the wrestling mat since I was younger. [When] I was really young[, I] didn’t want to wrestle. I was scared of the mat. Then one day, my brother and my dad kind of just put me on the mat when I was six years old at the Lowell Boys and Girls Club, actually, and since then, I’ve been wrestling,” said Rios.
Initially, Rios powered through numerous years of wrestling with his competitive nature. He expanded on how his desire to improve as a wrestler has driven his involvement in the sport.
“I’m very competitive naturally, and I hate losing. I like seeing improvement, and I just fell in love with that. That’s my motivation to keep going. I want to be the best. I want to get better. I want to be as good as I can possibly be. Now it’s changed a little bit, but those were the main reasons when I was younger.” said Rios.
In addition to setting the team standard, Rios draws out the best of his teammates in difficult moments. According to teammate Oliver Rodgers ’28, Rios is motivational, inspiring his teammates with pep talks and encouragement, regardless of position on the team.
“He’s really good at riling you up. … He knows exactly what to say. He’s been in every situation you’ve been in, and he knows exactly what to do, how to prepare for your next match, how to beat your opponent, and how to deal with a loss and move on. He’s really good at giving advice and leading the way,” said Rodgers.
Becoming a Co-Captain as an Upper, Rios models his leadership tactics on the team’s former leaders from his Junior and Lower years. Throughout his captainship, he has looked to emulate the uplifting energy that guided him as an underclassman.
“[My previous Co-Captains] made me assume that my role as a leader was to lead by example on the mat performance-wise. [They taught me] what it meant to perform at a high level, but also [how to best shape] my character. [I try to be] a leader inside and outside of the room, helping out my teammates whenever they ask for help, involving myself in the wrestling community and the team community and being very inclusive to everyone,” said Rios.
Rodgers also highlighted Rios’s defining quality: his humility. Even as one of the nation’s top high school wrestlers, he grows alongside his teammates, offering words of wisdom and encouragement rather than standing above them.
“[Rios is] another wrestler who’s just trying to get better with you. He’s not acting like one of those captains who are like, ‘Oh, I’m so much better than you. Just listen to me.’ Although he is easily the best wrestler Andover has ever had, he’s there alongside you. He doesn’t try to be like, ‘Oh, I know better.’ He’s like, ‘This is why it works. This is how to get through something,’” said Rodgers.
Committed to wrestle at Stanford University’s Division I program, Rios expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to experience academics and athletics at an elite level.
“[Stanford University] offer[s] so many amenities to their athletes, and it’s really impressive how well [it] treat[s] them. That’s something I want to be a part of. The coach is making notions toward how he wants to grow the sport of wrestling at Stanford [University] and become one of the best [programs], and that’s something I want to contribute to. It feels noble, and it made me feel special that I could contribute to a greater cause of creating a better room and making my teammates better in general. I found that truly amazing. And again, with the benefits Stanford [University] gives to their athletes and the prestige of academics, it was really a no-brainer,” said Rios.
