Steve Santos left Columbia as arguably the greatest wrestler in program history - which says a lot, considering the Lions have the oldest wrestling program in the country.
Santos is a 2013 graduate of Columbia College, majoring in financial economics. Santos had one of the most successful careers in the history of Columbia’s storied program. He was a two-time NCAA qualifier at 149 pounds in 2012 and 2013. Santos was the 2013 EIWA Champion at 149 pounds. Santos was also the New York State Champion in 2012.
In his senior season, Santos finished third at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, the highest finish ever by a Lion as he earned All-American status. Santos became the fifth Lion in program history to be named an All-American and the first since Matt Palmer in 2007. The 149-pounder team captain started strong that season, winning his first 15 matches while going 31-3 overall and 4-0 in Ivy League matches. Santos garnered First Team All-Ivy League honors during his senior season for his effort. He was also named First Team All-Ivy League as a junior in 2012.
Santos also qualified for the NCAA Wrestling Championships in 2012 during his junior season. He finished the season with a 26-11 record. Throughout his four years at Columbia, Santos scored 91-37 while going 12-4 in Ivy League matches. Santos is a two-time Academic All-Ivy honoree, as he was recognized in 2012 and 2013.
As a first-year on the 2009-10 squad, Santos finished sixth at 149 pounds at the EIWA Championships in 2010. He followed that by earning an honorable mention All-Ivy League spot as a sophomore in 2011. Santos wrapped up his sophomore season by placing seventh at the EIWA Championships.
Following his time as a student-athlete, Santos rejoined the Lions as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2015-16 season, primarily working with the lower and middle weights. Santos was promoted and named the John Huemer Assistant Coach of Wrestling a year later. In his time on the coaching staff, Columbia continued to impress. The Lions sent a trio of wrestlers to the NCAA Wrestling Championships in 2015 and 2016, while a pair of Lions competed in the 2017 championships.
