As a freshman last season, he racked up more than 25 wins, placed fourth at the New York State Championship, and qualified for the NJCAA Wrestling Championships in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Torres has followed up those impressive results with arguably an even better sophomore campaign this season.

To this point, he has compiled an overall record of 26-6, with all six losses coming against NCAA Division II or III opponents. In addition, he is currently the top-ranked NJCAA wrestler in the country at 174 pounds and has already been named the NJCAA Region 3 Wrestler of the Week three times.

What is it that has allowed the Cassadaga Valley Central School graduate to be so successful? Look no further than his work ethic, his positive attitude and the way he prepares for every single match.

Jamestown Community College sophomore Dan Torres has compiled a 26-6 overall record, is the top-ranked 174-pound wrestler in the NJCAA and has been named the Region 3 Wrestler of the Week three times. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

“I’ve really just been focusing on those extra workouts,” Torres emphasized. “Whenever I can get an extra run in. I’ve just been wrestling as hard as I can. Every practice, pushing whoever my partner is and they push me. It’s kind of a team effort to allow each other to get better.”

Jamestown CC head wrestling coach Kris Schimek agreed with Torres.

“He’s a product of hard work working,” Schimek explained. “He does all of the right things. He puts time in on the mat, off the mat, in the weight room, on the track, his diet is proper. He just does all of the right things.”

In high school, Torres wrestled for the Falconer/Cassadaga Valley program under head coach Drew Wilcox. Torres was a two-time fifth-place finisher at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Wrestling Championships and was also a two-time Section VI champion.

Having a chance to wrestle for one of the most successful high school programs in the area helped prepare Torres to compete at the next level.

“(Coach Wilcox) really pushed us to be the best we can be at anything we were doing,” Torres emphasized. “One of his things is as long as you put in the work and you’re willing to work hard, you’ll be successful. And that’s really stuck with me. Coming here, coach Schimek is the same way. As long as you’re willing to put in the work, the extra work, the morning lifts or extra workouts and you’re willing to buy into the program, then you can be successful.”

Even with all of the accolades and accomplishments, Torres does not look ahead. He makes it a point to remain focused on every match.

“I’ve just been taking it one match at a time,” he said. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Because when you start looking too far ahead, you slip up with what’s going on right in front of you. Really, I’m just trying to win one match at a time and see where I can go from there.”

Not only has Torres been brilliant on the mat, but he has excelled in the classroom as well. The criminal justice major was named the 2019 SUNY Chancellor’s Scholar Athlete for wrestling. To be considered for the award, a student-athlete must first receive a nomination from the institution’s athletic director. The student-athlete’s credentials and athletic fulfillments are analyzed by a panel of athletic directors from across the entire SUNY system to determine the most viable candidate for each sport. Torres attained a 4.0 grade-point average, was named to Jamestown CC’s dean’s list and was a NJCAA Region III First Team Academic All-American.

“Dan is what I would consider a true leader,” Schimek said. “You need one of him. At least one. And the more you have, the better you’re going to be for it. And I think it’s more than just wrestling and being an exceptional student-athlete. He’s just a great human being. He’s going to succeed at whatever he wants to do in life.”

NOTES: The Jamestown CC wrestling team was ranked 13th in the latest rankings released by the NJCAA…When asked about the team, Schimek said, “everyone works hard. Dan (Torres) is the only guy in the rankings, but there’s other guys who are right there. They’re all grinding.”